Chapter 42
Ch . 42 The Banquet in Full Swing
With Lotus’ guidance we move to the main dining room and, in there a great amount of alcohol and delicious food has already been prepared . In a formal like way the food is lined up on the dining room table in a buffet style, and it is surrounded by several small tables that have been set up .
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As soon as the banquet starts, the food and drinks are consumed one after another . Every person here are nothing but owners of slender and proportionate figures and yet, I look and wonder where does such a large quantity of food go .
“Although intelligence work is our specialty our foundation is as knights so, everyday we have training . Therefore it is a test to one’s strength so everybody eats well,” a beautiful female knight comes next to me and explains this to me at some point . She is beautiful One-sama, very much unlike a knight but for a while now she has been eating and drinking heartily .
“Is that so?~ I was surprised . Everyone has very nice figures so, I was wondering where they were stowing away all that food”
“I think Leader is also?”
One-sama peeks a look at me with her wine red eyes while brushing her beautiful silky golden fringe to the side . If you stare at those eyes, which are so lovely to the extent that you may think you have somehow been awakened to a no-good world . Although my inner thoughts are in a flutter, I think back upon what One Sama said and the scene of the Duke eating and say,
“……now that you mention it, it does seem so”
At breakfast, as expected, he does not eat everything but at dinner he eats quite an amount . Midway I meet with some intestinal terror so I end up giving up but… . . aah, I’ve ended up loosening my own dark history again .
Secretly crestfallen I lower my head in my heart, but on the surface I feign a casual appearance,
“And, Leader is a person who can do his job very well”
This time a One-sama-with-slightly-peculiar-bronze-hair enters from the side, which reminds me, until today, I have never heard about things related to the Duke’s work . The first time was before when vice-leader Corydalis talked endlessly about it . I mean, it is best I do not have an interest though!
“He does not talk about work very often so, I did not know . ”
I can’t say I didn’t listen because I was not interested so, vaguely, I smile and lie . Besides, I have heard that it is an organisation that even to family you cannot give very detailed accounts concerning the work so, I think that even if someone like me asked, no answer would be returned . Ah, sorry I don’t feel like listening . It is important so I said it twice .
“We haven’t stood at the front line of a battle but our organisation works behind-the-scenes . ”
Next is a One-sama with silver thread like hair and she smiles at me with a extremely lovely smile . Uh, when did she come to my side?
……huh? Now that I notice, the female knights are all surrounding me . Viva☆Harem!! ……not, *cough*, excuse me . It is once again the situation of a women’s assembly .
“Leader’s leadership is precise and not useless . ”
“Is that so?”
“There is no discrimination between men and women . ”
“Well”
“It is quick and its performance is good . ”
“Ohh”
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For some reason the One-sama’s have ganged up and have begun to swiftly talk and inform me that ‘Leader is capable person in whatever way’ .
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“I was already prepared for destruction that time of that infiltration operation~”
The blonde One-sama smiles bitterly . Saying things like that, I do not entirely understand but I give my suitable *hmm, uh huh*s .
“Right, right . It was a close call, they fell for Leader’s trick well and before we could realise it everyone was safe and had returned alive . ”
The silver-haired One-sama looks off somewhere into the distance with nostalgia .
“Truly, that time it was such clear leadership~”
Bronze haired One-sama absentmindedly smiles .
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Meritorious deeds in battle, accomplishments in literary and military arts, reputation at work and so on .
I only interject with ‘ohh’, ‘well’, ‘is that so’ and so on . It was the same as before, today is a day for being unduly informed about the Duke .
Drink, eat, drink again . The One-sama’s become steadily talkative . In a good mood they amuse themselves with talking about the Duke . The praising of the Duke to the skies like this .
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“Umm~? Everyone you are the Duke’s fans right?”
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At last I see my chance and interpose .
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“By no means!”
“Right right! Although he is a good person as a boss”
“His private life, well!”
“““Moreover we are married!”””
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The three of them answer all together with nice smiles . And then from there,
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“Such a thing like grandly taking a mistress after getting married, no way!”
“Really! If it was my husband I would strangle him”
“Slighting a lovely wife like this? I feel like ‘don’t be a screw off’”
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While the pace of drinking steadily rises, this time the One-sama begin to evaluate the Duke’s private life . Moreover, it has suddenly changed from before and become quite harsh . Before they were informing and advocating, ‘the Duke is splendid in whatever way’ to such an extent and yet, how quick is their change of attitude! And it is not my imagination that gradually their eyes have fixed on me, right! S o m e o n e h e l p m e!!
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I cannot stop these rapid drinking One-samas, my eyes get teary,
“Wow! You guys what did you say to Mistress?!”
Corydalis from before says impatiently, turning around .
“Uh, we were explaining how Leader is a good-for-nothing… . . huh?”
The One-samas are completely drunk . Hearing this, Corydalis is furthermore impatient,
“argghh, that’s unpleasant! Hey! Tear these guys away from Mistress~!!”
He gives orders to the nearby knights .
“““Yes!”””
“Hey! We are still talking with Mistress so don’t interfere!”
The knights are collecting the One-samas and, the One-samas are standing firm as if fighting for victory .
“Even though I took such with great pains to tell my daughter-in-law Cercis’s good parts! It seems you guys have made my great efforts come to nothing!”
“Uh~, we also told her?”
“It’s just the direction shifted a little along the way~”
“Not a little!”
“Is it not the truth?~”
“That’s no good!”
Corydalis is greatly perplexed .
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“Vi-! Did something happen?!”
Looking on at the drunk people boisterously scuffling and speaking in this direction, the Duke hurries over here .
“Umm, the One-samas have ended up getting drunk”
I truthfully report to the Duke with a bitter smile .
“Good grief, these guys……”
Saying this, the Duke covering his face with one hand, looks up to the heavens .
“Well, it looks like they are enjoying themselves so I am glad .
“And, did they say something to you?”
The Duke bends over slightly and peers into my eyes .
“Um . various things”
I lie with a quick smile but,
“What various things?”
The Duke persists more .
“Well, it started with Duke’s achievements and leadership and then, they informed that at work you are a splendid person in whatever way to the extent of unpleasantness but, the moment it became about your private life that was a soon a parade of harsh words . There were all kinds of descriptive wor……”
“Vi-?”
“What is it?”
“Can you please stop?” because it seems I will be unable to recover… . . ”
He was curious so I answered and yet, the Duke interrupted me without listening to my conversation to the end, if I look closely he has teary eyes .
“Well, it seems all of your subordinates love you, Duke……”
“……it does not seem like it though……”
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I’m not going to argue with you about it!