Episode 66: Imperial Aristocracy. After arriving at the mansion of the aristocrat from the Imperial city, Yamato readied his knife in preparation against the unknown bloodl.u.s.t lurking in the dark.
A putrid smell similar to that of a rotten monster corpse flowed from the depths of such darkness.
“Lienhardt, did this happen the last time you came?”
“No… there was no such “monster”…”
Being a skilled knight, Lienhardt was also aware of such an unusual existence.
While pointing his sword to the darkness, Lienhardt talked about the time he visited this mansion a few years ago.
It was true that the Lord of this mansion was an odd one, but he was never welcomed by such an unusual greeting.
He thought maybe they were being mistaken for suspicious people since they wore a disguise.
“Vlad-sama, I"m Isis! I came to see you as we agreed! ”
Behind Lienhardt, Isis spoke directing her voice towards the mansion, trying to solve the misunderstanding.
She wanted to let them know they were not suspicious individuals but acquainted with the lord of the mansion, Vlad.
“Taurus… It is okay to let those people through.”
“…………”
A beautiful voice flowed from inside the mansion.
In response to that command, the “inhuman bloodl.u.s.t” suddenly disappeared into the darkness" depths.
Most likely, the misunderstanding had now been solved.
“Alright, let"s go.”
“Yes, Yamato-sama.”
Yamato had no idea what that strange bloodl.u.s.t was all about.
However, if they just stood there hesitating, progress wouldn"t be made.
And so, the three of them headed into the building using the dim back gate.
Walking through the courtyard, they arrived at the mansion"s main building, and at the door a butler was waiting, ready to guide them inside.
He was a gentle and polite butler, showing no particular suspicious behavior.
“Dear guests, in this room is the Lord.”
Walking through the luxurious, yet unadorned mansion, they reached the room where the person that came to meet was.
Unlike the strange feeling they got from the back door just recently, the insides were completely normal.
A house of a big aristocrat in which many well trained yet silent butlers and maids served.
Yamato wasn"t sure of the standards of the n.o.bility in the empire, but judging from what he could see, he presumed their host was in a considerable high position.
“Excuse me, master.”
“It"s okay, enter.”
A male murmur answered from inside the room.
After the butler opened the door, the three of them entered to what appeared to be a drawing room.
And inside was the figure of a man above the age of forty.
“Vlad-sama, it"s been a while. My name is Isis, the daughter of the Consul of the city of Orn.”
“It truly has been a while, Isis! Last time I saw you you were a little girl, but now you have become a proper woman.”
“Not at all, I"ve still got a long way to go.”
Taking a step ahead of the group, Isis greeted the middle-aged man that stood in the center of the room.
While the man used a friendly tone, Isis, as the daughter of the Consul, used a very polite speech.
It was clear that for the moment, the other party showed no hostility towards the group.
(So, this person is Lord Vlad… a friend of Isis" father, and a big n.o.ble of the Empire…)
While waiting near the entrance of the room, Yamato gently observed the middle-aged man.
Vlad was a well-dressed aristocrat.
From his demeanor, he was probably a knight aristocrat who had tasted the battlefield and carried himself as a warrior.
And now that he was old, he could take a break from the battlefield and live a slow and comfortable life in the Imperial Capital.
(But… what is it?… what"s this strange feeling…?)
Although he could not put in in words, Yamato got the feeling Vlad was hiding something.
He was an old man who, as he greeted Isis, had an expression as if talking with her granddaughter.
However, it was as if he was hiding his true nature as well.
He then remembered the words from the knight Lienhardt, that he was an odd person.
Isis and Vlad spoke for a while, since this was their first reunion after a long time.
“…Vlad-sama is… …currently busy with some visitors…”
It was then.
From the corridor behind them, the voice of the butler could be heard.
From the contents, it was apparent that someone else was trying to enter this room from that door.
But because they were here, the butler tried to stop that person.
“You can"t… it will anger Vlad-sama…”
But the efforts of the butler were ignored.
And the sigh of a person could be heard.
“Grandpa, I"m coming in! ”
Along with a shrill voice, a figure violently opened the door.
Ignoring the butler at the door, that person entered the drawing room
“Sildrisama… I told you to wait for me in the other room.”
The face of Lord Vlad, who until now was cheerful as he chatted with Isis, turned sour as he faced the new visitor.
From the tone the old man used, it was clear he was in a lower position.
“Hmph. I came since they seemed to be an interesting bunch.”
That unyielding voice belonged to a girl in a knight-like dress.
A mischievous smile was hidden behind a n.o.ble lady"s fan, it was quite an impish smile.
Most people would mistake her for a small and weak n.o.ble girl, but on her hip hung a knight sword, proof that she was a warrior.
On the way to the Imperial Capital, Lienhardt told Yamato about a peculiar imperial force called “Valkyrie Knights”, so he thought maybe she was one of them.
That Valkyrie Knight slowly approached Yamato.
She was a beautiful girl with fiery red hair.
“Especially… you in the merchant clothes… you are the only one who did not get frightened by the bloodl.u.s.t of my little Taurus-chan!! ”
“Kya~… Yamato-sama!! ”
The scream of Isis resounded in the room caused by the sudden actions of the girl called Sildria.
“Wait”
Isis had tears in her eyes, Lienhardt tried to get hold of his sword, and all the while, Yamato tried to calm them down and tell them it was alright.
(A drawing blade strike?… what a tremendous speed…)
As blood dripped, Yamato inwardly gave his praise.
The Valkyrie Knight Sildria unexpectedly drew her sword, and while her sword pointed at the throat of Yamato, a faint line of blood flowed.
TLN: There you go, that"s the girl in the volume 2 cover ?
OOO
Youjo Senki / Saga of Tanya the Evil 1 to 4 available on Amazon!