The banquet held at the inner castle of Bogenberg was quite extravagant.
It wasn’t just nobles and knights gathered to watch the tournament; there were also minstrels, musicians, and sculptors who appeared to have been invited by the Count of Bogenberg.
As a result, the inner castle was already bustling with activity. Keldric looked beyond the crowded gates with a faint grimace.
“There are quite a lot of people.”
“Do you think it’s just the vassals from the surrounding area? Even their distant relatives must have come.”
As Sir Henri pointed out, simply attending the celebration for the Count of Bogenberg’s fiftieth birthday was advantageous.
Although the Count of Bogenberg was not a simple man, just being present was a gesture of respect for his authority if one held a noble status.
With so many attendees, the Count had a duty to host a more spectacular and entertaining banquet.
Keldric slowly took in the floral decorations and colorful fabric strips draped over the castle gates.
There was much to admire at the banquet: a minstrel who studied at the Belmont Academia, works by a sculptor currently making a name in the Avalontine Republic, and a troupe of acrobats with the finest skills in Bogenberg.
‘Isn’t this… a bit too extravagant?’
Keldric’s conclusion, after observing everything, was that this was excessively lavish for a banquet.
The Count of Bogenberg was an influential noble who could sway imperial power struggles. It was understandable for someone of his stature to host such an elaborate event to assert his authority.
However, Keldric wondered about the wisdom of hosting such a grand tournament and banquet amid the Empire’s turbulent internal affairs.
The number of knights participating in the tournament was no joke—every wandering knight in the region seemed to have been rounded up.
Judging by the ostentatious decorations even at the castle’s entrance, it seemed the Count had a specific reason for hosting such a lavish banquet.
“It’s his fiftieth birthday, isn’t it? Perhaps the Count of Bogenberg wants it to be a meaningful memory.”
“That makes sense.”
“Well, don’t overthink it. For knights like us, it’s just a chance to drink some wine and go back to fighting well tomorrow, isn’t it?”
As Sir Henri suggested, even if the banquet carried political purposes among nobles, there was nothing Keldric could do about it.
All he had to do was enjoy the festive atmosphere, eat and drink well, and praise the Count of Bogenberg appropriately.
“It is an honor to meet you, my lord. If it’s not too much trouble, may I hold onto your weapon for safekeeping?”
As Keldric rode his horse, Boreas, toward the gate, a soldier standing guard cautiously addressed him.
Behind the soldier were two others carrying the weapons of other knights.
Keldric, after a brief glance at them, casually followed the lead of Sir Henri and Sir Allan, handing over his weapon.
It was customary for knights to wear armor to a banquet, but not weapons.
This was a time when various schemes and political intrigues were relatively common.
It wasn’t unusual for incidents like a neighboring lord Wilhelm having an affair with someone’s daughter-in-law and resorting to poison.
From the perspective of the schemer, such actions avoided provoking open conflict, and the lack of evidence afterward was even better.
In such times, allowing knights, whose livelihood involved killing, to bring weapons into a noble’s home was not ideal.
If a knight with ulterior motives or one bribed by a rival noble caused chaos, the one in trouble would be the Count of Bogenberg.
Even if he survived, his reputation would be in shambles before his guests, and if he lost his life, punishing the knight would mean little to a deceased Count.
This was why knights, mercenaries, or anyone entering a noble’s home had to leave their weapons behind.
It was a symbolic gesture of promising no harm and simply intending to quietly sip a few glasses of wine before leaving.
“I’ll take care of your horse, my lord.”
A stablehand came out to greet them at the stables.
The attendants watched closely for knights or nobles arriving on horseback, ready to dash forward and take the reins the moment they dismounted.
Keldric handed over Boreas’s reins and gave the stablehand a small silver coin. The stablehand’s face lit up with gratitude.
“Thank you, my lord! I’ll take care of it as though it were my own life!”
“No need to go that far… Just make sure to feed it the best feed you’ve got. Boiled peas or something like that should be fine.”
“Understood, my lord. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Seeing Keldric’s actions, Sir Henri also handed the stablehand some money, as did Sir Allan, who had followed closely behind.
Showing generosity to subordinates was considered an important virtue for knights.
Even if the amount given was relatively small, knights took pride in their gestures of goodwill.
It was the thought of giving, however modest, that made them feel a sense of accomplishment.
“Sir Keldric, not only are you skilled in combat, but you’re also generous.”
“It’s nothing.”
“You must visit my estate someday. I’ll make sure you’re treated well.”
“I’ll remember that.”
After leaving their weapons and horses behind, they walked onward, passing through the inner courtyard and corridors until they reached a grand hall.
Keldric took in the scene of the castle’s hall, where the banquet was about to begin.
The so-called Great Hall was impressively spacious. Even Keldric, who was quite large, didn’t feel cramped in the slightest.
At the front of the room stood a long table placed horizontally, with two more long tables arranged on either side, forming a U-shape. Soon, these tables would be laden with delicious food.
Keldric found himself unconsciously swallowing.
The lamb he had tasted in Schappendorf and the salmon he ate in Yalta were exceptional, but considering the prestige of the Count of Bogenberg, who held significant authority in the Empire, how extravagant would the banquet’s fare be?
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he surveyed the hall. Meanwhile, nobles and knights began to arrive, gathering in small groups to converse.
Sir Henri, who had been exchanging greetings with other knights, approached Keldric with a cheerful expression.
As he walked toward Keldric, however, his steps faltered slightly when he noticed Alyssa standing beside him.
“Sir… the mage seems to be in a rather foul mood.”
“Alyssa?”
Keldric turned to look at Alyssa. Indeed, she seemed far from enthusiastic.
Her expression was lukewarm as she cast a weary gaze over the bustling nobles and knights, showing no signs of excitement about the banquet.
“Alyssa, are you uncomfortable? You don’t have to stay here if you’re here only because of me.”
Noticing her expression, Keldric asked cautiously. Alyssa, who had been standing with a sullen look, flinched in surprise and waved her hands dismissively.
“N-No, I’m fine.”
“That’s good to hear, but if you feel truly uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to tell me. You don’t have to stay here against your will.”
Having Alyssa, practically a walking encyclopedia, by his side was reassuring, but if she weren’t here, Keldric figured he could just blend into a corner.
Responding briefly to anyone who spoke to him would be enough to make the banquet little more than an event for sampling good food.
However, Alyssa firmly shook her head, immediately refuting the idea. It was the response Keldric had secretly hoped for.
“No… I’ll stay by your side. Though I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”
Despite her words, her stiff expression didn’t soften, but Keldric accepted her answer for what it was.
If she insisted on staying, forcing her to leave would only be awkward.
“Well then, think about what you’d like to eat at the banquet. Good food might make everything better.”
“Delicious food, you say?”
“Yes. There’s always good food at a banquet, isn’t there?”
“Sir, that… um…”
“Hm?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Alyssa nodded awkwardly, for some reason feeling uneasy, but Keldric had no way of knowing what was on her mind.
He decided to take it positively.
As far as he was concerned, all he needed to do was eat plenty of delicious food and fill his stomach.
“Sir, I’d like to introduce you to a distant relative of mine. Would you come along?”
At that moment, Sir Henri, who had been avoiding Alyssa’s gaze, cautiously approached and spoke.
Keldric tilted his head slightly without realizing it.
“A relative?”
“Yes. Didn’t I mention the reason I came to Bogenberg? I have a distant relative, and we’re discussing a marriage proposal. I thought it would be great to have a close friend like you join me.”
There was no particular reason to refuse. Simply showing his face at such social events was a good way to build connections.
Behind them, Sir Alan seemed engrossed in conversation with the other knights.
Besides, Sir Henri didn’t particularly like Sir Alan, so there was even less reason to bring him along.
“Understood. Lead the way.”
“Excellent. Follow me.”
With Alyssa in tow, Keldric began to follow Sir Henri.
☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩
“By the grace of the gods, I am Keldric of the Bellaf family. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I am Jacquemont of the Forlange family. The pleasure is mine. I thoroughly enjoyed watching your tournament matches.”
The distant relative Sir Henri introduced was Sir Jacquemont of the Forlange family.
From Keldric’s perspective, Sir Jacquemont bore some resemblance to Sir Henri, yet there were noticeable differences.
Their hair was similar, but Jacquemont’s facial features and overall demeanor lacked the overly flamboyant air that characterized Sir Henri.
“Your skills are impressive. Do you have a specific training regimen?”
“I train my body daily, though circumstances don’t always allow it.”
“Daily training to the limit… That’s solid advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Unlike Sir Henri, who would immediately swoop in at the sight of a woman, Sir Jacquemont exhibited none of that frivolous behavior. Instead, he gave off the impression of a steady and serious young man.
In short, in every aspect, he seemed to be an improvement over Sir Henri.
Keldric’s gaze wandered briefly to Sir Henri, who had slipped away from the group.
“Oh, my lady! Your smile shines as brightly as the sun. My heart feels as though it’s melting, like a single flower blooming in the snowy wilderness.”
“Wh-who are you?”
“Allow me to introduce myself as a member of the renowned Candillon family.”
True to his reputation, Sir Henri had already begun flirting with unknown noblewomen in the brief time he had been away.
Keldric and Alyssa exchanged exasperated looks as they observed the spectacle, while Sir Jacquemont coughed awkwardly and flashed an apologetic expression.
“Haha… My elder brother is always like that.”
“I wish he’d show some restraint, but it’s his choice.”
“Well… If he acts like that even in the middle of marriage negotiations, it would be rather embarrassing.”
After chatting a bit more, Keldric found that Sir Jacquemont was surprisingly reasonable.
Although not as frugal as Keldric, he had a modest disposition, and his carefully measured words showed his thoughtfulness in conversation.
Keldric found himself liking Sir Jacquemont more and more.
Among the knights Keldric had met so far, Sir Jacquemont easily ranked alongside Sir Werner as one of the most “reasonable” individuals.
“It seems the banquet is about to begin,” Jacquemont remarked.
“Oh…”
Just as he said, the hall was now bustling, filled to capacity with guests.
Keldric stood still, gazing toward the entrance of the hall. Any moment now, the Count of Bogenberg would make his grand entrance, and delicious food would begin steaming its way onto the tables.
But Sir Jacquemont’s reaction to Keldric’s hopeful comment was unexpectedly different.
“What do you mean by that? Delicious food?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“Well… if you think salted fish and rye bread are delicious, then who am I to argue?”
“…What?”
Salted fish and rye bread?
Keldric’s expression froze. Meanwhile, Jacquemont shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Isn’t Lent starting soon? This tournament also honors Saint Venantius, so I doubt you’ll see the kind of extravagant meals you’re imagining.”
With that, Jacquemont crossed himself.
Keldric, on the other hand, couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
But when the Count of Bogenberg and Sir Theodore finally entered the hall, and salted herring and rock-hard rye bread were laid on the table…
“Damn it…”
Keldric was forced to face reality.
Having skipped breakfast in eager anticipation, the first meal of the banquet turned out to be smelly herring and tough bread.
The other attendees did their best to praise the Count’s piety, but Keldric, barely managing to mask his expression of utter disappointment, couldn’t bring himself to join in.
“Ah… The more I restrain my desires, the purer my body and soul feel. Don’t you agree, Sir Keldric?”
“…Sure. I suppose.”
“Indeed, a gracious feast from the Lord. A chance to absolve our sins and prove our devotion. Oh, God above, how merciful You are…”
Jacquemont’s eyes sparkled strangely as he spoke, with a zeal that bordered on fanaticism.
Watching Jacquemont savor the tasteless herring and rye bread as though it were a divine delicacy, Keldric thought to himself:
‘This guy’s out of his mind.’
No matter where he looked, there wasn’t a single normal person around.