kscans

Chapter 137 - The Battlefield Known as High Society

Ariel awoke. There was no doting reunion to be seen.

"I’m going back to the tower," she said, then turned to Darius with a tilt of her head and asked, "By the way, what’s your name?" She acted as though she wouldn’t have even spoken to him if he hadn’t been in her line of sight.

"Master! You were the one throwing a tantrum, saying you didn’t want to leave Darius-san!" Mireille explained desperately. This was simply too pitiful for Darius.

Ariel stared at Darius with a serious expression.

"Didn’t want to leave?"

She paused to think for a moment, then gave a little sniff.

"...That’s right. It’s comforting." The next moment, she suddenly hugged Darius in front of everyone.

"From today on, we’ll sleep like this."

Darius froze. A collective gasp went through the room.

"My, my. Ariel-san, let’s observe noble manners in front of everyone," Eleonora-fujin said with a gentle smile.

"In exchange, you can have him hold you as much as you like where no one is looking."

"Understood." Ariel reluctantly let go of Darius.

At that, Darius muttered under his breath.

"Come to think of it... Ariel was talking about noble table manners." He was shocked that she really didn’t remember him, and just then...

GONK! Adrian’s fist came down on Darius’s head.

"Are you an idiot? No matter which noble you associate with, you can’t avoid high society if you’re involved with one. It may be normal for you, but for Ariel, it’s an unknown world. That’s why she was so shocked."

The painful memory of the video from that day, of Ariel suffering after seeing his life in high society, flashed through Darius’s mind, and his face twisted in anguish.

"Don’t forget. If she had known the customs of high society, she wouldn’t have been flustered by the lead in a close dance or a society face. If she enters high society knowing nothing, a future of being made a fool is all that awaits. You can’t protect her just by whispering words of love. Your ability to maneuver is too weak."

Adrian’s words were scathing but hit their mark. They showcased the difference between them, the ambition and meticulous planning of a man who had become chancellor at a young age.

"I don’t have high mana, nor is my status as high as yours. But I developed my own strengths and left what I couldn’t do to those who could. ...Truth be told, I wanted to go help directly during the coup d’état. But there’s a right person for the right job. When you’re in trouble, you should rely on those who are skilled. No one can do everything." Adrian averted his gaze with a huff.

Eleonora-fujin smiled. "Oh my." Her husband was kind but clumsy. Smoothing things over was always the wife’s role.

"Darius-san, I know you must be busy, but please be Ariel-san’s practice partner for tea service in your spare time. It’s training for the woman’s battlefield, after all."

"It’s a win if you send them home feeling good," Ariel added with a nod.

"She’s surprisingly skilled at managing things. She’s a good listener. She’s just bad at making facial expressions."

"...I’ll hide it with a fan."

"You can’t serve guests like that. You have to make a proper smile. And please, be her dance partner as well."

Darius was stunned. If it was called a woman’s battlefield, did this count as part of combat training?

Until now, he had only tried to shelter Ariel. He had wanted to keep her far away from high society. But...

(If only I had been able to consult with someone sooner, I might have avoided taking such a long detour.)

Adrian spoke with a serious expression.

"Once the preparations for high society are complete, we’ll move on to the next phase of the plan. Until then, win Ariel’s heart. As far as I’m concerned, I’m fine with another man making her happy."

Then he shifted his gaze to Leonhard.

"If you two wait for Darius and Ariel, you’ll never get married."

"Hk!" Mireille and Leonhard looked at each other, their faces turning bright red at the same time.

Adrian, he was truly a man skilled at reading the subtleties of the human heart.