Legend

The day after I heard about the Black Wolf...... I mean, Ray was welcoming the last day of the year with the Duke of Kelp's mansion.

The meal since Ray came to Anesis was mostly eaten with Elaine and her family...... only today at the end of the year was everyone who could participate enjoying a meal in the Great Hall, even while working at the Duke of Kelp residence.

"No, to be honest, I was surprised. I thought the aristocrats said they wouldn't eat with their servants."

"Heh, right. I usually do. Only today, at the end of the year, will I have a party like this to comfort my husband that he has been able to do well for a year."

That's what Miranda, who was on her side, tells Ray's words with a happy grin.

(Consolation, huh? Is that like an annual party? Feels like I saw it this way, and it doesn't seem so wrong)

It was Ray thinking that way looking around, but the people at the party are all talking quite noisy out of the ordinary.

"There were so many people in this mansion."

"That's right. We need this number of people to take good care of this mansion and maintain it as the place it deserves as the Duke of Keller."

Miranda tells me that, even with more than a hundred servants, we are now able to maintain the mansion safely because only the veterans are working at this Duke of Kelevel mansion.

If the skill of those who work is low, they will not be able to turn their jobs properly without these few times.

Ray had no idea what was going on around there, but he reached for the food that was nearby because it was all a corner party.

Only a party like the annual party, and this gathering is not so tough.

On the table, where several exist, there are a variety of dishes made by the cooks, beginning with Georgima, many of whom thump at it.

Everyone is laughing when they talk to their friends casually, just taking the form of a standing party.

This is the party for the consolation of the servants, so the Dukes of Kelp, such as Liberté, Arcadia and Elaine, are also at this party, but there is still a position, and they do not imitate the noise with the servants.

The servants are a standing party, but only Liberté and the others sit at a table away and enjoy their meals gracefully.

What is different is that you are eating with those who are also in a high position among your servants at that table?

Miranda smiles at Ray, who looked like she was eating very happily while she was there.

"If you've been judged by your husband to be the hardest worker of the year, oh well, we can dine together. … so the competition rate is high."

In Miranda's explanation, Ray feels subtle about eating at the same table as he does every day, even though he didn't do anything in particular just as convinced.

Most importantly, if you try to be Liberté, you are equal to your daughter's lover, so it was only natural to think about eating together.

... If Ray wasn't an adventurer with an alias, but an anonymous adventurer as many around, it would have been different.

For better or worse, Ray has sold his name a lot in the last few years.

That makes a lot of people nowadays look at things like Dusker's Scarf.

Ray himself doesn't mean that at all, but he thinks he can't help being seen that way more than he has actually received various requests from Dusker, and he wonders if that's okay if there's going to be less pointless little bits from the nobility, even though he hasn't made any particular denial.

"Hmm. It feels a little strange to me, but as far as this is concerned, I'm pretty sure they're happy to be dining with the Duke of Kelp."

I guess the expression "proud" is more correct than "happy" to be exact.

If you try it on Ray, it was a feeling you didn't really understand as you put it, but you still think you won't have to bother saying something that the person you're happy with would remind you, and then stop saying anything more about this matter.

Miranda also generally understands what Ray thinks as a competent maid and talks about Seto that we should avoid any further discussion of the matter.

In that case, Ray also talks funny and strange about Seto because he doesn't need to say anything in particular again.

"Pfft, is that true?

"Oh. I adore Seto... I have quite a few people to love, but those Mileynes and Johanna are exceptional. Especially Mileine, until she got involved with Seto, she was thought to be a handsome, beautiful female adventurer... and now she has a love for Seto."

Nevertheless, that's never just a bad thing.

Originally Mileyne is the one who is never wrong to call it cool beauty if it's just appearance.

So many thought it would be hard to get close... but as I was known to interact with Seto, my surrounding eyes changed about the area.

They recognized him as an easy person to talk to.

Even though some of them behaved in such a way as to insult Mileyne, even if they liked Seto, Mileyne's arm didn't fall off.

As a result, those who imitate foolishness will regret it.

"Somehow you seem to like me."

"I guess. I think Mileyne would treat me friendly, too, in that she likes ceto.... except when you deal with Johanna"

That was Ray and Miranda we were talking about, but in that, Ray notices one person approaching us.

But that's not a stranger.

Because he was probably the closest Leodanis of the Knights of Kelp.

But Leo Dannis is pointing his unhappy gaze at Ray just to say if this is still the case at the moment.

As for Ray, who doesn't know why he can turn such a gaze, I decided to call him for now to see how things were going.

"What's up, Leo Dannis? What can I do for you?

"... no, no. I was just trying to talk to Miranda for a second. Then Ray was with Miranda."

"Uh... I see"

If you look at Leo Dannis' attitude like that, Ray also understands why Leo Dannis is grumpy.

For Leo Dannis, Miranda is a favorite.

Ray also understands that the favor is not between friends, but between men and women.

(Jealous?)

Yes, Leodanis must have been jealous to see Miranda talking to Ray in a fun way.

Even Ray, who is neglectful of the emotions around it, can understand as much as Leo Danis thinks.

Then Ray turns to Miranda and opens his mouth.

"I've had enough, I hope you'll come around the party with Leo Danis"

"Is that okay?

Miranda's job is only for Ray.

If something strange happens when Ray isn't around, it can be all kinds of disgusting.

Even though, from Miranda's point of view, it doesn't seem like a person named Ray is acquiring common sense as a nobleman.

Nevertheless, Ray is not a nobleman, so it's not surprising that he didn't acquire that common sense.

"Oh. The guy who imitates me strangely at this party... maybe he's not here"

Ray's position is that he is a guest of Liberté, the Duke of Kelevel.

If you're going to imitate such a ray to your opponent, that's what your neck can fly in a physical sense, not a metaphor.

It did not seem to Ray that anyone would serve the House of the Duke of Keller and imitate such a thing.

(Well, there's a chance that the Black Wolf will set something up... no, why don't you just ask him out this way? I don't know if the Black Wolf will ride this invitation, but still, I'd rather do it than not)

It was a mundane thought, but I don't want to postpone the anxiety element of Black Wolf forever.

If we can clean it up here, that's the best we can do.

That's the decision...... Ray opens his mouth to Miranda.

"Look, I'm fine, so come around and watch the party with Leo Dannis. Georgima and the others are cooking all kinds of dishes, so you don't have a choice not to go around looking at them, do you?

"Huh? Oh, yes....... ok. Then let me sweeten you to the words and do so. Shall we go, Leodanis?"

"Oh.... are you sure?

"No problem. Have fun."

Leodanis, prompted by Miranda, still checks with Ray, for once and for all.

Maybe Leodanis sensed Ray's thoughts, or his thoughts, in some way, but it only felt something out of consciousness, and in the end he obeys Ray's words honestly.

"Okay. Then I'll go."

While having some doubts about Ray's attitude, Leodanis eventually walks away from Ray's front with Miranda.

On several occasions Leo Dannis turned around to care about Ray, but still couldn't resist temptations such as eventually enjoying a party with a favored opponent, and focus his consciousness there.

Ray looks at the two of them like that... he feels his gaze and turns over there.

Most of all, that gaze wasn't as thin and creepy as a black wolf's, but a gaze that guided me… though it belonged to Elaine, who was eating with Liberté and Arcadia.

What Elaine is worried about, which, naturally, Ray also knows.

In the first place, it was Elaine who gave Ray information about the Black Wolf, so it's not strange to anticipate Ray's behavior.

He nodded to Elaine, who had turned a worrying gaze, that he was okay, and then Ray gently left the party venue.

"Now, will there be ghosts or snakes?... It's a black wolf, so does the expression wolf come out deserve better?

Saying so, Ray looks up into the night sky on a veranda a short distance from the party venue.

From inside the building, I even heard a slight cheer coming from the party venue and a scream about what had happened.

Nevertheless, I didn't feel the need for Ray to go help in particular either, as that scream wasn't meant to be a full-scale scream either, but a scream somewhere interesting.

I'm on the veranda on a winter night, so it's not strange to feel my freezing cold when I'm supposed to.

However, in the case of Ray, he is wearing a dragon robe that has a simple air conditioning function, so there is no need to worry about that.

In the clear air of winter, he gazes at the starry sky, which looks prettier than usual... and with such an act, Ray waits for the black wolf to show up.

If the strength of the black wolf that Ray has heard from Elaine is true, then there is no wonder she shows up on this occasion, even if that is the situation as it is now.

That's why we're waiting for the Black Wolf to show up this way.

"It's the end of the year, though. Maybe the Black Wolf is busy getting ready for the New Year, too.... Kuck."

Even as she puts it in her mouth herself, Ray laughs impatiently.

Someone Ray had seen before, who seemed like a black wolf... because he had no idea where that person was living his daily life.

Not to mention, I can't imagine a sight that imitates things like getting ready for the end of the year more than I can imagine everyday life.

(Making soba noodles and stuff... no, there's no soba noodles in the first place, and there's no custom like that)

As far as Ray knows, there are no dishes like soba noodles in this world called Elgin that you eat in the new year.

Perhaps it is precisely, so far as Ray knows...... in places like Gilm and Anesis should I describe it as no such dish.

Instead, it's not uncommon for such a new year's party to be held.

(There's a New Year's party, there's a New Year's party.... Sounds like a lot of trouble. Especially since the Georgimas who cook parties won't be able to afford it like they're doing ramen research)

It was when I thought of it that way. What Ray felt was the same gaze he felt before… a gaze that didn't make him feel emotional, that he would observe.

"... are you here? Come out."

Did you hear Ray whining, or accidentally signs appeared on the roof of the veranda?