The Lagrind Dukedom’s Annex.
True to its status as a Duke’s House, the area of the annex was huge.
So huge that you could fit an entire soccer field in it!
Inside, a multitude of people from all walks of life had gathered.
“Today, I would like to express my gratitude to all the esteemed guests gathered here. Let us raise a toast to celebrate my daughter’s birthday!”
At the end of the annex, on the podium, a man shouted as he raised his glass.
With blue and white hair and a robust physique, his skin was a deep bronze.
A large scar crossed over his closed left eye, giving him quite the sinister impression.
His name was Dasus El Lagrind.
He was the head of the Lagrind Dukedom and father to the Duchess, Leje El Lagrind.
Along with his toast, many people in the hall raised their glasses.
“Cheers to the heir of the Lagrind Dukedom and my daughter, Leje, on her eighth birthday!”
[Cheers!!]
With Dasus’s toast, a thunderous shout erupted in the hall.
At the same time, the sounds of the orchestra in the center of the annex filled the air, signaling the start of the banquet for the Duchess’s birthday.
“The situation with the Empire seems dire. War might break out soon.”
“There are predictions that the Empire will remain quiet due to the succession issues with their heir.”
“Oh my, Lady Helas, you’ve become more beautiful since we last met.”
“Oh ho ho, you’re too kind.”
As numerous nobles filled the hall with their chatter…
Phew…
A short sigh escaped Rudell, who was observing the scene.
The tales among the nobles and the lavish spread on the table didn’t interest him at all.
His focus was solely on one thing.
It was fixated on the girl standing atop the platform, receiving gifts from the crowd.
She had hair that was white with a hint of blue and eyes of deep blue, reminiscent of the ocean.
Her snow-white skin and seemingly cold demeanor gave anyone who looked at her the feeling of being frozen.
Her name was Leje El Lagrind.
The Duchess of the Lagrind Dukedom and the heroine of the story.
And she was the girl who would later earn the title of the world’s strongest.
“She looks just like I imagined.”
Rudell couldn’t help but exclaim in short admiration, as her appearance was identical to what he had envisioned while reading the novel as a child.
He had known this world was from a story all along, but seeing her in person reminded him of that fact once more.
“By the way, when will this raucous banquet end…”
Even though the banquet had just begun, Rudell mumbled and turned to glance at his watch.
Naturally, with the banquet just starting, several hours were still ahead.
“Sigh…”
While he wasn’t fond of such noisy gatherings, Rudell considered the situation.
Having always lived in the calm and quiet Duchy, his personality also leaned away from boisterous environments.
“I want to go home…”
Muttering that, Rudell glanced at Carlos, who was talking with others a short distance away.
He didn’t look particularly comfortable either, as discomfort was clearly written on his face.
“Father seems to be having a tough time.”
Watching his father, Rudell chuckled and moved his feet.
The count of a lower status within the noble hierarchy.
Even though he wasn’t part of that circle, being an eight-year-old boy with an appearance common enough that no one paid him any mind was advantageous for him.
How surprising that a low status would be helpful in situations like this…
He thought, stepping away while marveling at how unpredictable life could be.
As such, Rudell exited the banquet hall and headed towards the nearby garden.
A tiny garden with a small fountain.
Considering the ongoing banquet, the garden was quiet and devoid of people.
Here, he could surely spend time peacefully until the banquet concluded.
With that thought, he approached a bench tucked away in the garden, sat down, and pulled out a notebook and pen.
“Let’s see. One flag gone down…”
The original story had the protagonist meeting the heroine, the Duchess, for the first time right here in the Duke’s mansion’s banquet hall.
In other words, as long as he stayed outside the banquet hall, nothing could develop between him and the Duchess.
“The weather is amazing.”
Rudell jotted down on the page titled “Avoiding Entanglements with the Duchess” and looked up at the sky.
As he lived his second life, there were many things he liked and disliked, but the one thing he loved the most was the clear, bright sky.
Looking up at the pristine, unpolluted sky felt as if the chaotic thoughts in his mind were washed away.
“Yawn… I’m sleepy…”
As Rudell gazed at the clouds drifting in the sky, a yawn slipped from his lips.
It was nice to have exited the banquet hall, but he hadn’t considered what to do afterward.
Just then, stretching his body towards the sky, he felt a tug at his consciousness.
Meow.
“Huh?”
He shifted his gaze to the sound coming from below.
There, a tiny kitten was pawing at his feet.
It looked like a tiny little creature, just a kitten, wandering by his side.
“What’s with the cat?”
He tilted his head at the sight of the little kitten with its cheese-tabby colors.
Had it lost its way?
Looking around, he didn’t see any siblings or a mother cat anywhere.
“Hmm…”
Given the enormous size of the Duke’s mansion, it wouldn’t be strange to find one or two stray cats wandering around.
Meow!
“…”
Rudell cautiously reached out his hand toward the kitten, which began rubbing against his leg and meowing.
As his hand gently patted the kitten’s head, a faint smile began to bloom on Rudell’s face.
The warm body temperature of the kitten and the softness of its fur.
For someone like Rudell, who had been born as a cat lover, it was the ultimate healing experience.
“Ahem…!!”
He cleared his throat and carefully scanned the surroundings.
Fortunately, there was no one nearby, so he set the kitten onto his lap.
Purr…
The kitten, looking confused at first, soon yawned and rested its chin on Rudell’s knee, starting to purr softly.
With that sight, a gentle smile spread across Rudell’s face as he continued to pet the kitten’s back.
Meow!
At that moment, the kitten perked up and seemed interested in the small brooch on Rudell’s chest.
Emblazoned with the seal of the Lagrind Dukedom, the brooch served as a token indicating his invitation to the Duke’s House.
In simpler terms, it functioned like a visitor’s badge.
“Do you want to touch this?”
Meow!!
As the cat responded to his question with a meow, Rudell smiled faintly and wiggled the brooch in front of the kitten.
When he moved it, the kitten’s eyes widened in excitement, and Rudell couldn’t hide the smile creeping onto his face.
However, while Rudell was preoccupied with the kitten, something unexpected happened.
Meow!!
“Huh? Huh?!”
Suddenly the kitten leaped up and snatched the brooch from him, and Rudell looked on in surprise.
Meow!
“Hey!? Wait a minute!!”
In an instant, without giving Rudell a chance to react, the kitten darted away with the brooch in its mouth.
Rudell sprang up, frantically chasing after the kitten.
As he distanced himself from the annex and veered into areas not allowed for the guests, all that filled his mind was the thought of retrieving the brooch.
Meow!!
“Pant… wait… pant!!”
After a chase that lasted quite a while, the kitten’s speed began to reduce, and Rudell gasped for air at its tail.
And then…
“Cheese! Where have you been!? I’ve been looking for you forever!”
Meow~!!
As the kitten turned a corner up ahead, a familiar voice echoed from beyond.
Could it be that the kitten had an owner?
With hope blossoming that this chase might finally come to an end, Rudell turned the corner.
“Huh…?”
And as he laid eyes on the girl in front of him, a bewildered voice escaped his lips.
Of course, this was because the girl standing right in front of him was someone who absolutely shouldn’t be here.
With blue-tinted white hair and deep blue eyes reminiscent of the ocean.
Her flawless, sculpted beauty could easily pass for a statue, as if a snowfield had come to life.
“What are you doing here?”
The girl looked at Rudell’s reaction and raised her head.
Leje El Lagrind.
Indeed, the girl who should have been in the banquet hall stood before him now.
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