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428 p2. Noble Faction and New School Year [1]

(It would be bad to make her wait too long, so let’s finish it quickly.)

After wiping my body with a wet towel and changing into a new uniform, I was ready.

「Alright, this is good enough.」

As I finished checking my appearance in the bathroom mirror, Ria suddenly popped out.

「Allen, are you ready?」

「Yeah, I think I can leave now.」

「Okay, then let me check one final time.」

She put her right hand on her chin and checked everything from the top of my head to my toes.

「Fumufumu… ah, it’s frayed here. There’s a little wrinkle on the collar. And also–」

She smoothed out the slight fraying of my hair, wrinkles on my clothes, and finally tightened the necktie on my chest.

「Okay, you look perfect now.」

「Thanks for your help.」

「Fufu, you’re welcome.」

After finishing the preparations, I went to meet Hiyobaa-san, who was waiting outside the dormitory.

「Sorry to keep you waiting.」

「Not at all. It ended in the blink of an eye.」

Hiyobaa-san jokingly said so, and rummaged through her own robe to pull out a wakizashi-like dagger.

「Then, Allen-sama, I will bring out the carriage now, so please stand back for a while.」

「Bring out the carriage…?」

「Yes, with all due respect, I have it ready here.」

She tossed the dagger and slowly brought her hands together.

「Sing with merry -〈Children’s Poetry〉.」

In the next moment, her dagger twirled in the air, transforming into a small pumpkin carriage in the blink of an eye.

「A soul dress-user? A sword transforming a carriage, that is a rare ability.」

「Hoho, it is just a mere child’s play, after all.」

Hiyobaa-san smiled softly and spoke words of humility.

(Even so, it’s a really strange ability.)

Not only the wagon, but also the horse that pulls it has been materialized.

This is probably a reproduction of the concept of a “carriage”.

(Judging from the name〈Children’s Poetry〉, is it an ability to freely reproduce things that appear in fairy tales?)

I don’t know how accurately it can reproduce concepts from fairy tales, but there is no doubt that it is a very versatile soul dress.

「Come now, Allen-sama, kindly get on board.」

「Yes, excuse me.」

As prompted, I boarded the pumpkin carriage.

(Hmm…it’s a lot wider than I thought.)

The inside was much larger than it looked from the outside. And it had a large space to provide comfortable leg room.

「I’ll be leaving now, Ria.」

「Yeah, be careful.」

As Ria and I exchanged greetings through the window of the carriage, Hiyobaa-san sat on the coachman’s seat with a thud.

「Allen-sama, may we depart?」

「Yes, please.」

「Understood.」

With a light swing of her leather whip, the carriage slowly rolled forward.

And so I headed to the mansion of the great noble Patriot Bornard.

■

I wonder how long has it been since the pumpkin carriage left the dormitory?

(Fuwaa… Oh, no, I almost fell asleep.)

The steady sounds of the wheels and hooves rattling were pleasant, and the slight pendulum-like swinging transmitted from the seat made me sleepy.

「Mhmmnn…」

As I stretched my body from time to time while fighting off the drowsiness that slowly threatened to pull me into a slumber, the carriage slowly slowed down and eventually came to a complete stop.

It looks like we’ve arrived at our destination.

The wagon door opened and Hiyobaa-san peeked in.

「Allen-sama, we have arrived at Patriot-sama’s mansion. Please watch your step while getting down.」

「Thank you.」

As I got off the pumpkin carriage, I saw a mansion so big that I had to look up.

(Oh goodness… how do I put this, it’s an unbelievable architecture.)

Patriot-san’s mansion was overflowing with personality and had a very unique structure.

I suppose you can call it a “three-part composition”?

The left side of the mansion was a wooden structure made up of large trees, the middle was made of concrete, and the right side was made of brick.

And that was not all.

The mansion was surrounded by a garden full of colorful flowers, a huge stone statue that gives a vibe of pure power, and a huge fountain carved with a unique pattern, eloquently displaying how wealthy the owner of this house is.

Rize-san’s mansion in Drestia was also amazing, but this rivals or even surpasses that.

「Come now, this way.」

Ahead of Hiyobaa-san’s gaze was a double door giving off a solemn air, and two swordsmen who seemed to be private soldiers stood on either side of it.

As soon as they noticed me, they quickly saluted.

「「Welcome, Allen Rodore-sama!」」

Before I had time to reply, the two of them put their hands on the door in a flowing motion and pushed it open the heavy-looking door.

Immediately following that,

「「—Welcome to the Patriot Mansion, Allen-sama.」」

Maids who were lined up in the entrance hall bowed their heads in an orderly manner.

「T-Thank you…」

Overwhelmed by the strange sight, I kept bowing to all of them.

「Allen-sama, let’s proceed to the stairs over there. My master is awaiting you on the top floor, the “Phoenix Room”.」

Hiyobaa-san guided me up the spiral staircase to the second floor.

Next we went straight through the corridor and went down a slope that led to the basement.

Like a maze, Patriot-san’s mansion had a complicated structure.

「I apologize for the inconvenience caused by turning right and left since just now.」

「No, I think it’s necessary to be prepared just in case.」

I gently responded that there was no problem in response to Hiyobaa-san’s apology.

The homes of people of high social standing are intentionally made complex to make it difficult for enemies to infiltrate.

This is something I learned recently after visiting various mansions and estates.

After that, we continued to walk in every which direction until we finally arrived at the top floor — the Phoenix Room.

「Well then, Allen-sama, I will take my leave here.」

「Thank you.」

I thanked Hiyobaa-san, who bowed her head deeply, and turned to face the front door.

(Patriot Bornard is beyond this door…)

I took a long, deep breath to calm myself.

(―Alright, let’s go.)

When I knocked on the door, a gentle voice replied, “Enter.”

「Excuse me.」

As I opened the door, an extraordinary space that boasted the true meaning of extravagant and luxurious in the physical.

A crimson carpet weaved with gold decorations at every turn, a luxurious chandelier hanging from the ceiling, a statue which gives off a majestic atmosphere, a peculiar vase carved with unique patterns, and a landscape painting that exudes a masterpiece-like aura.

There was no sense of unity or taste, just a space crammed in with valuable things.

In the deepest part of the room, in front of a large window overlooking the city of Orest, stood a gaudy noble man, with two men who seemed to be butlers on either side of him.

「Oh, Allen-dono, this is the first time I see you.」

The man who seemed to be a noble noticed me and slowly approached me with a soft smile.

「I am Patriot Bornard, feel free to call me Patriot.」

Patriot Bornard.

He was about 175 cm tall and had a medium build.

His dark milk-colored long hair was curled on both sides – a hairstyle called “sausage curls”, if I’m not mistaken.

He was about fifty years old, with droopy eyes and a fine white beard. His deep red noble attire embroidered with gold stood out in particular.

「Nice to meet you, my name is Allen Rodore.」

We introduced ourselves to each other and exchanged a friendly handshake.

「Originally, I should be the one to visit you, so thank you for coming all the way here.」

「And I thank you very much for your prompt response despite my decision on the sudden date and time.」

「No, no, I am the one who requested this meeting in the first place, so please don’t worry about such trivial matters… More importantly, let’s not talk while standing around, so please take a seat.」

「Thank you.」

I slowly sat down on the sofa for visitors at the end of Patriot-san’s gaze.

(Wow, this sofa is amazing. What material is it made of?)

It’s so fluffy that it doesn’t seem like it’s from this world, yet it firmly supports your body.

The ultimate product that combines comfort and stability. I’m sure it’s the finest sofa out there.

Patriot-san sat down on the sofa across the table from me and called out to the male butler behind him.

「Sorry, can you prepare the drinks?」

「Understood, sir.」

The butler gracefully bowed his head and pulled out a rectangular menu list out of nowhere.

「Allen-sama, please choose your preferred drink.」

「Thank you.」

ーTea Fastflash Ortagram

ーLuminous Tea (F.D.P from the Insas region)

ーAlfred Patty Dimblangold

ーLacotte Delmogne

ーDoruteano Posso Vita (Bornado Special)

(…What language is this?)

Lined up on the menu list were mysterious strings of words that seemed like magic incantations.

It’s probably the name of the drinks, but it’s so stylish that I have no idea what it’s referring to.

「Um… water, please.」

「Noted, sir. ―How about you, Patriot-sama?」

「Get me the usual.」

「Acknowledged.」

The butler bowed his head respectfully and gracefully left.