Dream Life

The night of February 10th.

Marquis Seawell and Viscount Radford were exchanged to talk about the information Sharon and the others had obtained. In doing so, he also honestly tells us that Sharon moved his blacksmith guild at his discretion.

"That's dangerous," Marquis Seawell mutters.

"His Excellency the Chancellor is not bound by his own authority, but he will be dealt with strictly if he is wounded by the authority of the Empire. If the simple dwarves have only revealed their thoughts, Your Excellency can forgive them to the extent that they speak of threats. But this time the Lockhart family is involved. That's the problem."

Viscount Radford also said that with a harsh look.

"I understand what you mean by being told. However, I think this was a good time for me."

"I wonder what that means, Zacharias. If you insult your Excellency, it's not just a burn."

"I also understand what His Excellency the Marquis has said. I will not do anything to insult His Excellency the Chancellor. But there's no longer any chance of a major riot or commotion. Thinking about people dying or getting hurt, it's not a big deal that we're in a predicament."

I feel honest.

If the Crown Prince tries to get his hands on the Liddies, the Dwarves will run wild without resorting to any modest means. When that happens, the Chancellor will undoubtedly crack down on it by hard means. Because there is no need or reason to hang the warmth like the Kingdom of Kaum.

Of course, if we dispose of the Dwarves in that matter, our relationship with the Blacksmith Guild will be completely chilled, but the Grand Name lies with the Chancellor.

Assuming the Crown Prince has his hands on the Lockhart family, it is not for the Dwarves of the Blacksmith Guild to riot. Ulrich, the master craftsman, is rational if there is no alcohol involved. If it had actually happened, it would have bothered me to deal with it.

Think about it, if I can work it out against the Chancellor, it's much better.

"My son is right. You can't ever see a friend get hurt for us."

My father agrees with me. It would be the heart of an honest father.

"That being said, His Excellency the Chancellor is the opponent. I don't know what kind of demands are coming. And neither I nor Lord Alexis can lend a hand to the Lockhart family on this matter."

"This matter is only the end of the Lockhart family. Your Excellency, of course, does not intend to cause any inconvenience to His Excellency the Duke of Etherlington."

My father says clearly.

"Fine. Now, for the future, there was an earlier transmission from His Excellency. First thing tomorrow morning, the lords will have to go to the Chancellery. We talked about the ceremonial meeting of the Duke, but Zacharias has also been summoned."

"Me too"

"That's right. In doing so, I let him confirm that all of His Excellency's plans for tomorrow morning are vacant. I've never heard of your busy lord's plans. Perhaps your Excellency will ask you some tough questions in this case."

It was my father, my brother, and my three men who were summoned. If it's just a ceremonial meeting of the Duke, it's just my father and brother.

"What is Lord Zacharias going to do? Aren't you going to challenge His Excellency the Chancellor helplessly?

"I just wanted to say don't worry, but I can't think of a hitter at the moment"

I answer that to Viscount Radford, but I actually had a few thoughts. However, speaking on this occasion could be outrageous to the Chancellor.

After that, appointments after tomorrow became the topic of discussion.

I get an explanation from Viscount Radford, the house slayer of the Seawell family.

"After the ceremonial meeting, you will return to the mansion and adjust for park games and more. An invitation has already been received from more than ten houses. We will sort the houses where we will be attending, but at that time we will need to adjust the attendees…"

The Seawell family is to enter among the nobles as a guardian of the Lockhart family. For this reason, invitations such as a garden or tea party will be received by the Seawell family and given to the Lockhart family, but attendance will be determined by the intention of the Seawell family. The nobles also know this, and the Lockhart family will not be resented for declining the invitation.

This was a bitter measure to protect the lower nobility.

Senior nobles want to take in emerging lower nobles to enlarge their own factions, but when they start it unlimited, the takeover of lower nobles begins. Because nobles are held in facades, they sometimes harass lower nobles who refuse to invite them, and in the worst case, they develop into disputes between higher nobles.

Because of this, it is an implicit arrangement that senior nobles with power divide up and no other faction's senior nobles complain about it.

"Got it. I want to deal with Rodrick and Rosalind, my wife and I, whenever possible."

"I accept, but it might be difficult. There have been many offers of genius and the famous Lord Zacharias."

Viscount Radford explains that, but it's probably aimed at connecting with the Blacksmith Guild. Imperial aristocrats have placed more emphasis on information than they thought so far, and many have no loopholes.

"Well, there's nothing to mislead Lord Zacharias with the explanation that he's being summoned to the Blacksmith Guild. Let's do what we can."

Future plans, but applications from the Duke's house and above will be accepted unconditionally. On top of that, I'll follow the sequence and decide, but they need to show their faces somewhere almost every day because they plan to be in the Imperial City for a full cup of February.

February 11th the following day.

I would train as usual, but no matter how big the mansion. The fact that training from the early morning in the aristocratic district would be a neighborhood nuisance meant that I was supposed to rent a training ground at Imperial Army headquarters.

Originally, the training ground was reserved for the First Legion, i.e. the regiment of the emperor's direct graduates, and is not such a place that the knights of the countryside could use it. For this reason, the arrangements have been made by Viscount Radford through the Duke of Etherlington's house, thanks to which he is allowed without any problems.

Sometimes in the early morning before dawn, the aristocratic city is quiet, but still there are merchants and servants delivering breakfast ingredients, not unattended.

Lights are leaking out the window because the military headquarters also has a host to deal with in case of an emergency.

Offer to use the training area to the Knight of Hostel and go straight to training.

Is training like the Lockhart family rare here again, and many of the soldiers in the dormitory were coming to see it?

Sharon was depressed yesterday, but in the morning, she's smiling as usual. I don't think I blew it off, so I guess I can just hide it well, but still better than I'm depressed.

The squire and vigilantes were more tempered than usual by the fact that the First Regiment of the Imperial Army was watching.

Sometimes the Lockhart family vigilante was waved when he saw the rising lion's crest of the Lockhart family because of what Lord Ezarrington, the commander of the Fourth Regiment, dubbed the most powerful soldier on the border, and the tail attached to the story of crusading the goblins on his journey.

But there was no pride in the squire.

Sometimes my father and brother praise me harshly, but it seems to be working that I failed in a mass battle against the Fourth Legion.

Strict training will continue, but the soldiers of the First Regiment disappeared one after the other as if they had lost interest.

They are said to be the elites of the emperor's direct graduation, but they are just dauntless soldiers with no actual experience in combat. The quality of being a soldier is not very high either, so much so that they say they value what you look like when you browse.

I haven't been able to concentrate on training myself today.

Because after the training, after breakfast, you have to go to the Chancellery in the Imperial Palace to see the Chancellor.

For that reason, he had been reprimanded many times by his father and brother.

My father and brother may also look at it, but as samurai, they are properly divided. I envy you, but I can't cut you off that far.

After breakfast, prepare yourself and head to the palace.

The guide was Viscount Radford, who was to enter and coordinate with the liturgical bureau where he partitioned the ceremony.

"As I explained beforehand, you don't have to be nervous. Think of it as a tour during your visit today."

The Viscount did that because my father and brother were nervous about the bees in front of the Imperial Palace.

(I seemed to be able to afford it when I trained, but I guess I just get nervous when I go into the palace. But it's a rehearsal today... I'm worried about the real thing...)

I'm supposed to go to the Ritual Service with him and wait for the Prime Minister to call me. No matter how much we don't have plans in the morning, there can't be time for a prime minister to rule the empire. It was said that ruling matters would come up as much as they wanted, and that in the worst case scenario, cancellation could be considered.

The Imperial Palace is at the end of a boulevard built to pierce the military headquarters building. This boulevard runs through the North Gate.

The straight path that leads to the deepest part of the Imperial Palace is subtractive material if you think of it as a defensive facility, but it would pass as a political tool to show the Emperor's authority.

Because it is ideal for emperors and crown princes who have been active in outings to use in parades.

I arrive at the gate of the Imperial Palace with the feeling of passing through the military headquarters. It becomes even more gorgeous than the gates of the aristocratic city, with deep blue and white walls like lapis lazuli.

I'm using the Seawell family carriage today, but there are still strict checks going on here. Being of the chivalry class, the carrying of the weapon is permitted, but it was carefully checked to the point where the unauthorized person was not lurking or under the carriage.

"Do you always get this much confirmation," he nods loudly when asked the Viscount.

"Not if it's on foot, but the carriage can be examined particularly rigorously. There are examples like Luke's Beast Slave."

Luke's Beastman slave, whom his grandfather fought, is said to be divine and is the object of fear on the front lines of the battle against Luke. They don't have a track record of being snuck in before, but they're putting in some precautions.

When I crept through the gate, I saw a palace called the Sky Palace with three spires in the front. The palace is also based on blue, the national colour of the frog, which is created with an exotic atmosphere somewhere.

Turning right looking at the Sky Palace, there was a building in the Chancellery. On the left, by the way, is the headquarters of the Kingsguard Knights, with five thousand knights defending the palace.

Unlike palaces and gates, the Chancellery is a relatively plain building. Even so, it is a four-story building made of stone based on white, and it does not damage the beauty of the Imperial Palace.

When I get off the carriage in front of the Chancellery, the Viscount goes inside as a touch. Immediately the official in charge appeared but felt slightly in a hurry.

"His Excellency the Chancellor is waiting for you. I want you to head to the office immediately."

We have arrived early enough than the expected time of arrival, and we have not been late.

"Lord Radford said to wait on this occasion. I only want the Lockhart family to follow me."

He has a puzzled look on his father's face at this development, but immediately follows the official.

There are waiting chairs and spare bookcases in the hallway of the Chancellery, with the atmosphere of the bureau, but you can't afford to watch it.

The Chancellor's office is at the back of the ground floor, and I don't feel like it's in front of a room with the same other doors and a substantial ruler of one country.

A leading official knocks on the door and says, "We have taken the Lockhart family" and opens the door.

We poked one knee and waited in front of the door.

I heard a squeaky voice called "let in". That distance is closer than I thought and seems to be right near the door.

Officials prompt me to enter the room after a gratuity.

In accordance with the modus operandi, he poked one knee again, lowered his head and tried to wait for the other's words.

"You don't need to do much. Come forward."

Officials leave graciously and the three of us are left behind.

The room was about five metres square, with a large butler desk and bookcase, a sofa like a reception set and a low table. I can't hide my surprise that it's narrower than I thought and that there's not a single knight in the escort.

And there was a skinny old man with gray hair sitting at the front desk. Those eyes are gray and they stare quietly at us.

My father panicked and bowed his head,

"I am Knight Masaias Lockhart. Behind you is Rodrick, the second son, Zacharias."

"Mm-hmm. Phyllobisher. Then I'll talk to you about something."

That's what the Chancellor said and suddenly he started talking.

"I called them because I wanted to confirm some concerns..."

Unlike the impression of appearance, it is also powerful with no shards of seniority.

"... First, can you tell me about the undead that attacked your territory? You think that was a demon trick?

My father is perplexed for a moment by a question he didn't envisage.

"Ha! I haven't seen any evidence that it's a devil's hand. But the undead he was leading was obviously intelligent, and he used words."

"Hmm. Don't you have any proof... let me know what they think"

"So...... I myself have not fought the Demons, but I have one under my command who has fought the Demons. It's not the same way the Demons fought. Also, the swords that Skeleton possessed were not used by the Ghost Nation, but were terribly similar to those used in the Empire about two thousand years ago. When we think about these things together, it is possible that it is not the Demons, but the undead that happened accidentally. That's it."

It was about the battle, and my father answered more firmly than he thought.

"Right. Is it unlikely that the Demon Nation... forbids this matter from spreading itself out. Don't know why."

My father was puzzled there and said, "I'm sorry!" and bow his head.

"How's your lord, Rodrick?

My brother says, "I will answer you," and then starts reporting in the same tone as usual.

"I think there are two reasons. The first point is that there is no evidence that you are not a demon tribe. You can be more vigilant against them if you doubt the involvement of the Demons. And on another point, the fact that there are non-demonic enemies east of the Aquila Mountains could have a strong impact not only on the Empire, but also on the Kingdom of Kaum, the United Kingdom of Lax Sartous and Pericritle. I don't know the political implications, but I think we should take that into account."

"Exactly. Zacharias, may I add something?"

I was expecting an inquiry, so I immediately said, "Yes, sir."

"I think we should consider that the point of undead causes anxiety to people."

With that said, the Chancellor nods small and urges ahead.

"The undead are the object of people's fears. We hear that we feel more terrified than an actual threat, especially in urban areas. If rumors arose that there was a kingdom of the undead, or a kingdom of the dead, people would turn to the gods for help. The attribute that works best against the undead is said to be the light attribute. It is an excellent promotional material for the Light God (Lucidus) as an absolute God. This is a concern."

Those on the periphery are used to seeing undead such as skeletons and ghouls, so they can think in line with other demons.

However, rumors close to suspicion are believed in urban areas where there are few demons, such as stories of battles between the undead on the ancient battlefields and of skeletons crawling out of graveyards, and are particularly the subject of fears such as women and children.

In fact, my mother, from a large city called Wellburn, had a strong fear of the undead.

"Exactly. Demons manipulate demons. If that just went undead, it wouldn't look so odd. If we talk about the kingdom of the undead and so forth, people in peaceful lands like the southern part of the empire will be upset. It's not like Luke's gonna come through there."

I came to this conclusion because I kept thinking from the raid of the undead, but that was only the ruler of one country, and with less information I had come to the same conclusion.

"This is a good thing. Next time, then. Let us hear their views on the growing Lockhart family."

Finally got to the point.