Akuya
Chapter 237 House of Lords" Opening Meeting
For the next few days, I stayed near Emilia in such a way that anyone would understand we were walking together.
That was because there was a need for me to spread the fact that I was escorting Emilia because, after many people witnessed that incident of Emilia being surrounded by those girls, there were many other girls the next day who were glaring at her without even trying to hide it.
I was also bathed with angry glares from the girls who were hostile towards Emilia but, in the end, it"s just a few glares lacking any murderous intent from some powerless girls, so there was no need to be afraid.
By the weekend, the students" restlessness also calmed down and all the fuss inside the academy subsided.
Now then, since it was the first holiday of the year, I left the dormitory with Emilia and Tira and the others and met up with Oscar and Claudia who had come to the capital within a day, as usual, after which we all attended the House of Lords.
It wasn"t only the academy which had started moving inside the capital in this new year. As there were a lot of meetings this year to deal with the post-war situation, it didn"t quite feel like the opening meeting but today was the first official usual meeting.
As it was the opening ceremony of the regular meetings, the big hall upstairs was also used with the House of Lords.
"Count Kaldia has arrived!"
As I finished up with the reception and entered the hall, all the gazes in the hall gathered on me. I looked around and greeted them and headed towards Count Einsbark first, while receiving return greetings.
"Ohh, Ms. Eliza."
"Count Einsbark, I am glad to see you as healthy as you were when we met this winter."
After greeting the Count, who called me out cheerfully raising a hand, I also greeted Weigraf and Volmar who were there beside him.
Ergnade was not there. He"s probably acting as a proxy for the counts of the royal territory at Jugfena fortress. He probably cannot maintain doing all these simultaneously as his wife just gave birth recently.
"I heard that you were selected as the d.u.c.h.ess of Rindal"s escort inside the academy?"
Weigraf came naturally bringing up the topic right away. With a gentle smile on, he couldn"t hide his enjoyment.
"Yes. To be honest, I am very honored for the role."
"You"re the most suitable for it."
I wanted to lightly dodge the topic but Volmar cleanly cut off my escape route.
"Eris and Tave"s heroic Count Kaldia. In addition to personal military prowess, you have excellent subordinates and there is nothing about your ruling power in your territory that can be criticized and, on top of that, you know your bounds and do not try to extend your powers to the capital. You"re a female and only next to the crown prince in rank in the academy. There"s no one more appropriate for the role other than yourself."
I just fixedly gazed at him as he kept listing the details.
In the first place, t.i.tles like heroic and what not only came to be because of him. Distributing bothersome t.i.tles, forcing showy fights which will become the hot topic, he just keeps doing as he pleases.
"Now, now, don"t be mad. I like hearing about my youngest child"s progress."
"…..Count Einsbark, I do not remember becoming your adopted child, though……"
"Don"t worry about it. It"s similar, isn"t it?"
……Well, I guess you could say that.
I guess I have no choice but to stay silent since Count Einsbark said so.
But on the other hand, it seems like those 3 decided to leave me be, seeing the wrinkle in between my eyebrows and shifted their gazes towards Claudia and Oscar, who were standing behind me.
"Oscar, it has been a while since I have seen you like this. I heard you have married Ms. Claudia."
"Yes, Mr. Volmar."
"…..Even still, nothing seems to have changed. There"s no point in teasing then……"
I agreed with Volmar"s exasperated voice in my heart. Oscar and Claudia really haven"t changed a bit after their wedding. Even though Gunter, who got married in the same period, had such a lax expression on his face… what exactly is this difference?
"I gave my word to my wife that we will prioritize our master as a knight, so."
………Me, eh?
I see.
I didn"t plan on b.u.t.ting into their marriage but this is…… I suppose I might have to talk to him after this.
If Claudia were to give birth to a child, now would be the best time as the war with Rindal is over and I am also enrolled in the academy at the moment.
It will also be easier for the adopted child if there"s someone close to his age. If it"s those two"s child, then it"s that child"s destiny to become my adopted child"s follower.
Weigraf and Volmar kept their mouths shut with an indescribable expression on their faces.
Those two… or rather, all three of the brothers, including the youngest, are prioritizing their life as a knight at Jugnefa fortress while leaving their wife or child at the capital.
"….Ahem. By the way,"
Weigraf hurriedly changed the topic as it was heading towards a painful direction.
"Are you aware? Count Nordsturm, who had stayed indoors for many years in his territory for self-restraint and mourning seems to have returned to the capital this year to attend the House of Lords."
"Count Nordsturm?"
The large fire at the lower part of the capital is still fresh in everyone"s memory.
The news of Marquis Nordsturm sheltering an a.s.sa.s.sin from Denzel dukedom and the heretic order from the church who joined hands with them and then getting a.s.sa.s.sinated had shaken the royal court for some time.
And so, naturally, the Nordsturm family was charged but after taking into account that the influencer and current head of the family had already died, the punishment was shortened to a huge fine, confiscation of a part of land, decreasing rank and 5 years of penitence. The duke"s only son inherited the remaining rank and property.
"….Ah, speak of the devil. He is here."
Weigraf"s gaze shifted towards the entrance of the hall. Following him, I also turned to look that way and saw a tall and slender man on the other side of the imperial guards.
His face was disturbingly similar to his father. But maybe because his expression didn"t have any vigor, the impression he gave off was much different.
"Count Nordsturm has arrived!"
And with the imperial guard"s shout, the hallroom fell silent.
And behind Count Nordsturm, who had entered the hall staggering, a shadow of one man followed.
I felt trouble breathing.
—-And the hall room was filled with commotion.
The three from Einsbark family grabbed me from behind and pushed me to the wall and stood in front of me as if to hide me from that man.
The man who was behind Count Nordsturm looked exactly like me-the man I faced on the day of the huge fire, the man who called himself my brother, Melchior.