Volume 8
Chapter 9
When Nozomu was asked by Mena to deliver food to the study, Madam Parline offered him a drink.
Now, he was holding a
decorated glass cup in his hand.
A cup that was clearly
a high-quality item made by a craftsman at a glance. However, Nozomu was more
concerned about Victor, who was slumped over his desk next to him, his tears
wetting the desk, than such a high-quality item.
"Guu... sob,
sob..."
For Nozomu, Victor's
current appearance was unimaginable from his usual self.
Especially since he
had just been imagining the dignified Victor from when he was being questioned,
his appearance, as he cried his eyes out without a care for those around him,
was honestly bewildering.
However, unlike the
dazed Nozomu, Madam Parline had her shoulders slumped and was sighing.
"Hey, how long
are you going to keep making that gloomy face? I said I was sorry, didn't
I?"
"If 'sorry' was
enough, then we wouldn't need military police!"
With his handsome face
a mess of tears and snot, Victor let out a cry mixed with guttural sounds.
The cold gazes he had
received from his daughters at the dinner table seemed to have hit him hard.
At his overly pitiful
appearance, Nozomu began to feel a little sorry for Victor.
However, since it was due
to his own past actions and completely his own fault, there was no way Nozomu
could defend him.
(It probably came to
this because Victor's presence was so great to Iris and the others...)
Disappointment is an
emotion that does not occur unless there is expectation.
For Irisdina and the
others, who had lost their mother when they were young, their father's presence
must have been very great.
Of course, there was
no doubt that they also admired him. That was probably why they had shown such
an excessive rejection to the black history of their father that they had been
told.
"Umm, Lord
Victor. I-I think you'll be fine? I think Iris and the others were just
bewildered at hearing a story they couldn't imagine, and I don't think they've
come to hate you from the bottom of their hearts."
"R-Really?"
"Yes, that's
right. So please be a firm, good father in front of them..."
"Well, in my
experience, a daughter of that age tends to want to distance herself from her
father..."
"Uaaaaaaah!"
"M-Mena-san!"
"I'm sorry, it
just slipped out..."
A sudden betrayal. The
spear that had been thrown at the injured person from behind pierced Victor's
heart deeply from his back.
"Oops!" Mena
put her hand to her mouth, but it was too late. Victor looked up at the ceiling
and hung his head as if he were a corpse.
"M-My daughters
hate me... I-I can't go on living..."
"Good grief, what
a troublesome man. Come on, what are you doing, boy? Since it's a rare
opportunity, have a drink."
"Y-Yes!
Ugh..."
Leaving the Victor who
was on the verge of turning to ash and disappearing, Madam Parline poured
liquor into Nozomu's glass.
What was poured was
not the wine that the lady was drinking, but an amber-colored liquor.
Along with a strong
woody scent, a strong alcohol scent wafted to Nozomu's nose.
As for Nozomu, he was
very concerned about the dying Victor next to him.
But he couldn't ignore
Madam Parline's urging, and as he was prompted, Nozomu tilted the glass he was
holding at once and poured the amber-colored liquid down his throat.
At the same time, a
burning heat assaulted Nozomu's throat.
The pungent, choking
aroma, and the intense stimulation that seemed to burn even his windpipe, made
Nozomu choke in spite of himself.
"Cough,
cough!"
"Oh my, it's the
liquor that Victor was drinking like a fish, but was it a little too strong for
you?"
"Cough, cough!
Wh-What kind of liquor is this?"
"It's a liquor
made by fermenting and distilling barley. It's quite strong compared to fruit
wine, so chugging it is strictly forbidden..."
"T-To make me
drink something like that..."
"You were the one
who chugged it, weren't you, boy? You shouldn't blame others."
In front of the
choking Nozomu, Madam Parline, while sighing, had a relaxed smile.
As for the lady,
although she had thought that Nozomu would drink it little by little, since
Nozomu had surprisingly chugged it, she seemed to be a little exasperated.
"Nozomu-sama,
here you go."
"Ah, thank you
very much..."
Nozomu slowly took the
water that Mena had offered.
While feeling the cold
water calm the burning heat, Nozomu let out a sigh of relief.
On the other hand, Madam
Parline turned her eyes to Mena, who was standing next to Nozomu, and offered
her an empty glass that was nearby.
"Mena, why don't
you have a drink with me?"
"No, I am a maid,
so I cannot share a seat with my master or his guests..."
"It's you and me,
isn't it? There's no need to worry about status at this point. In the first
place, when we first met, my status was lower, wasn't it?"
"That's... Hah, I
understand. As always, Mazarie, you're so pushy..."
The lady, who was
called Mazarie, had a broad smile.
Mena, who had let out
a deep sigh, sat down next to Madam Parline with a reluctant look.
Madam Parline poured
wine into the cup that Mena was holding with her own hand, and the head maid
also received it.
At the head maid's
casual attitude towards Mazarinette, and at the lady's innocent smile, Nozomu's
eyes widened.
It seemed that these
two were also old acquaintances. And a very close relationship could be seen
from their attitudes.
At that moment, Nozomu
remembered that Irisdina had once said that Mena and Victor had been old
friends at a noble school in their home country.
"Well then, to a
reunion with an old friend..."
"Cheers..."
And the two of them
drank the poured wine together.
Both of them let out a
relieved, alluring sigh. A soft atmosphere filled the study.
"But it's been a
while since the two of us have drunk like this. About three years, I
suppose?"
"To be precise,
it has been three years, two months, and thirteen days."
"Even if I invite
you, Mena, you rarely say yes..."
"It's not that I
can't, is it? I've said it before, but now I'm a maid..."
Perhaps remembering
the time when her invitation had been refused, Madam Parline pouted with a
dissatisfied look.
On the other hand,
Mena, with a regretful smile, poured wine into the lady's empty glass.
The lady also took the
wine bottle, returned the cup to Mena, and then picked up a piece of cheese
from the plate that had been placed in front of her and brought it to her
mouth.
"You should have
had a peerage for distinguished service... Those good-for-nothings..."
"It can't be
helped. There was no other way at that time."
The lady, who was
biting off a piece of cheese with a look of displeasure. Remembering that time,
she seemed to be quite angry.
On the other hand,
Mena, the person in question, was still smiling gently. Her usual sharp
presence had faded, and there was a gentle affection filling the air.
"And besides, I
like my current life. My master is good to me, and seeing the young ladies grow
up makes me very happy."
"When I heard
that Victor had hired you, who had been banished from the knighthood, I thought
for sure that he would make you his second wife..."
"Come to think of
it, after I was hired by the Francilt family, there was a time when you stormed
the main mansion..."
"Hearing that my
best friend might be harmed by the silver-tongued playboy, there's no way I
could just stay quiet, is there?"
What a terrible thing
to say.
The silver-tongued
playboy was undoubtedly Victor.
Hearing Madam Parline's
words, the body of the hanging-headed Victor trembled. It seemed his
consciousness was still in this world.
"That wasn't the
case at all. My master was devoted to Lady Filana."
"After he fell
for Filana, that is."
"Fufu. Yes,
that's right."
While reminiscing
fondly, the two women both smiled.
In an atmosphere where
others hesitated to interrupt, Mena and Mazarie exchanged cups again.
On the other hand, the
one who had been left completely out of the conversation was Nozomu.
A middle-aged women's
girls' talk? There was no way a male student could join in.
While sipping the
remaining distilled liquor in his cup, Nozomu felt as if he were on the other
side of a mirror.
"U-Um... what is
your relationship with each other?"
"Ah, sorry, boy.
I was just reminiscing a little."
"Nozomu-sama,
Mazarinette and Lady Filana, who is Lady Irisdina's mother, were in the same
class at the noble school of the country of Forsina."
According to Mena's
story, about twenty-odd years ago, at the noble school of the country of
Forsina, these three had been best friends who had transcended their status.
"Lady Filana, who
was an heir apparent, me, who was from the house of a peerage for distinguished
service, and Mazarinette, who, although a commoner, had been recognized for her
intellect by Lord Parline. Although our status and origins were different, we
strangely got along."
"After
graduation, Mena belonged to the knighthood of the country of Forsina. Her
skills were certain, and it was Mena who taught Irisdina and Victor the
sword."
"Mena-san
did?"
While letting out a
cry of admiration, Nozomu moved his gaze to Mena, who was sitting opposite him.
Although she was
tilting her glass with a nonchalant look, her cheeks seemed to be slightly
tinged with red.
"It is by no
means something that can be shown to Nozomu-sama..."
"What are you
talking about? Didn't you brush off the knight from the Ennobled Knights who
challenged you to a duel with hardly any effort?
And in your student
days, wasn't it you who drove away the Victor who had fallen for Filana with a
sword?"
She was quite a
dangerous maiden back then, Madam Parline continued.
"Oh my? You were
quite a tomboy yourself, even after you became an inherited noble, weren't you?"
On the other hand, to
the teasing Mazarinette, Mena returned a cold gaze and retorted, "Isn't
the fact that you stormed my master's main mansion the prime example of
that?"
But from Nozomu's
perspective, they're both just as bad as each other.
How many commoners and
young ladies in this world would poke at an heir apparent (I don't know if he
was the head of the family at the time)?
In the first place,
could such a person live a decent life in a country where the status of a noble
existed?
However, ignoring
Nozomu's question, these two were enjoying their banquet with a lively look.
How terrifying women
are. Such a thought came to Nozomu's mind.
"By the way, how
much do you know about the status system of the country of Forsina?"
At the sudden question
from Madam Parline, Nozomu's consciousness was instantly brought back to
reality.
Although Nozomu was
not from the country of Forsina, he had a certain amount of knowledge about the
general status system.
"Broadly speaking,
the point is that one belongs to either the peerage of inheritance or the
peerage for distinguished service, and that the peerage of inheritance can own
a territory...
And also, they don't
use the word 'title,' but are mainly called 'great houses'."
In the country of
Forsina, there were no detailed noble ranks such as duke or viscount. However,
a powerful family was naturally called a "great house" and had an
outstanding presence even among the nobles.
The Francilt family,
the Fabran family, and the Parline family were, without a doubt, families that
were classified as "great houses."
"I see, I suppose
I should talk about it a little."
A peerage of
inheritance.
It was a title held by
a family of traditional nobles in the country of Forsina, and a general term
for those who could be called nobles by birth.
Many of them were
descendants of those who had been involved in the founding of the country of
Forsina, and they were often referred to by their "family names" such
as the Francilt family, the Fabran family, and the Parline family.
The position of a
peerage of inheritance was basically inherited by the head of that family, and
a branch family could establish a new house, and by the king recognizing it,
they could establish their position as a peerage of inheritance.
On the other hand, the
peerage for distinguished service, also known as the knightly peerage, was a
general term for those who had been listed among the nobles after achieving
great deeds.
Compared to a peerage
of inheritance, their power was limited, and they were basically only allowed
to be called a peer as a noble for up to three generations.
However, if they were
to achieve a feat worthy of the name of a knight again within those three
generations, their status would be guaranteed again.
"By the way, the
reason we stopped using titles was because people who would falsify their
status with money or decorations began to appear."
In the country of
Forsina, for nearly a hundred years, there had been no disturbances such as
wars with neighboring countries.
The country's savings
were not excessively consumed by the disturbances, and the economy began to
turn smoothly.
When that happened,
the nobles and the commoners who had made a fortune inevitably came to have
more money than they could spend.
At such a time, as a
result of a succession of people who would falsify their status, "nobles
in name only" began to appear in the streets.
As a result, the king
at the time decided to reset the noble status once and abolished all titles
such as duke and count.
However, since the
actual power of the nobles did not change, it only had the effect of
suppressing the falsification of status, and this time, a house-to-house fraud
broke out, with people saying, "I am a member of that great house,"
so it could be said that it did not have much meaning.
Of course, if he had
taken away their actual power, there was no doubt that the nobles in various
places would have risen up, and it would have plunged into a state of civil
war.
And the Forsina
National Noble School.
As its name suggests,
it was a school attended by the nobles of the country of Forsina, an academy
for raising the dignitaries of the country, and it was the highest educational
institution in that country.
However, its gates were
also open to commoners, and if one had a recommendation from a peerage of
inheritance or a knightly peerage and passed an exam, they were allowed to
attend.
But naturally, its
educational standard was high, and the number of commoners who could attend this
school was only a few per year.
"Then, was Madam
Parline originally a commoner!?"
"Yes, when I was
a dancer, I had the opportunity to have an audience with the head of the Parline
family at the time. At that time, I was recommended to enroll."
At the astonishing
fact, Nozomu's eyes widened.
A rise from a commoner
to a noble. And on top of that, Mazarinette's current position was that of the
peerage of inheritance of "Parline."
No matter how tolerant
the country of Forsina was towards commoners, it was an almost impossible
career advancement.
"I found out
later, but it seems the head of the Parline family had seen through Mazarie's
intellect from that time and had fallen for her."
"Hah... That's
also, what should I say..."
At the same time as Mazarinette
had graduated from the noble academy, the head of the Parline family had
apparently proposed to her.
And he had offered to
take her as his legal wife.
The head of the Parline
family at the time was forty years old and single. Mazarinette was eighteen. At
the proposal, which had a gap of more than a dozen years, Nozomu couldn't help
but let out a breath of admiration.
"Well, marriages
with an age difference are not uncommon among nobles, you know.
At that time, it
wasn't the first time I had been proposed to. But at that time, I was very
bewildered. After all, he had said that he wanted me to come to him as his
legal wife...!"
Although she had
graduated from the Forsina Noble Academy, Mazarinette at that time was not even
a peerage for distinguished service.
Despite that, the head
of the Parline family had proposed to her, wanting to take her as his legal
wife.
But Mazarinette at
that time had firmly refused this offer. She had developed her own business,
had built a firm position with her own power, and had been granted the rank of
a peerage for distinguished service.
The head of the Parline
family, who had been firmly refused, had then toned down his passionate
approaches and had apparently gradually deepened their friendship while quietly
watching over Mazarinette.
"And in the end,
it was Mazarie who proposed."
"It's true that I
was fallen for, but more than that, he was a true gentleman. I have never met
such a gentleman..."
"In the
end, I was the one who had fallen for him."
After adding those
last words, the lady tilted her cup with a bashful look.
A slight blush
appeared on her nostalgic smile.
Was it because of the
liquor, or was it because she was reminiscing about the sweet and sour youth of
her younger days?
After that,
Mazarinette married the head of the Parline family. As his legal wife, she
joined the ranks of the peerage of inheritance.
It was truly a success
story that the women of the world dreamed of.
"Well, although I
was not blessed with children, I was happy."
The happy time between
Mazarinette and the head of the Parline family had apparently not lasted long.
The head of the Parline
family, who had been approaching old age, had been in poor health, but after
his marriage, he had caught an epidemic and had passed away.
The Parline family,
which had lost its head, had for a time fallen into great confusion.
However, Mazarinette,
who had married in as his legal wife, had here also demonstrated her talent and
had splendidly brought together her confused relatives.
As a result, she was
also formally recognized as the head of the Parline family by her relatives.
"It was a while
after the former head of the Parline family had passed away, wasn't it? That
Lady Irisdina was born between my master and Lady Filana..."
"When I first saw
Irisdina, she was still this small."
As she said that,
Mazarinette picked up a single picture from among Victor's furnishings that
were scattered on the floor.
What was depicted was
a black-haired noblewoman, lying on a white bed, holding a baby to her chest,
and smiling happily.
Her features were also
very well-defined, a beautiful appearance that could almost be called a
goddess. But what left a very strong impression on Nozomu was her loving eyes,
which were directed at the daughter she was holding.
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