Chapter: 205
Desperately begging didn’t change reality.
The request from Ducal Lord Partlan was nothing more than a personal favor. It wasn’t a quest, so there was no way to skip it.
As I pulled myself out of panic, I expressed my refusal to the duke. No matter how I looked at it, I didn’t think anything good would come of it. But the duke didn’t accept my request.
“Young lady. You have defeated the First Prince. If you don’t even express your thoughts on it, what will others think?”
Expressing it as a blatant disregard for the First Prince, Ducal Lord Partlan spoke in a stern voice.
Despite his nickname as the sloppy duke, him being so adamant was probably due to his concern for me, Joy’s friend.
Realizing this, I reluctantly nodded, and Ducal Lord Partlan flashed a smile that looked like it was straight out of a thriller movie.
…That must be a smile meaning “well thought out,” right? Right?
After he left with a headache-inducing “I’ll be counting on you,” I urgently called out Grandpa’s name.
With my miserable mind, I couldn’t see any way out of this situation.
<...Please give me a moment to think. My head hurts.>
However, just because he was Grandpa didn’t mean he had a magical solution to this situation.
With actions restricted by skills, there were limits no matter how sharp he was in politics.
[First, the overarching premise. No long talks. We can’t know which direction things will twist.]
‘That’s right.’
[What you should think about afterward is…]
Summarizing what Grandpa said, it was about minimizing damage.
As long as there was a Mesugaki skill, we couldn’t prevent an explosion from happening, so let’s at least reduce its size.
Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help but sigh.
If I had known this, I would just have lost to the First Prince and put on a dress…
No. That’s a bit off.
But isn’t it also not cool to blurt out “shoddy trash” in front of all the influential nobles?
As I pondered that, I ultimately reached the brutal truth.
No matter which choice I made, the path ahead only led to hell.
I thought I crushed the shoddy maneuver of Lord Jushin, but that wasn’t the case. The moment he issued the quest, I was destined to fall into despair.
What kind of god tricks their own apostle into a trap?! You shoddy trash!
*
There were countless people wanting to participate in the party held by the Partlan family.
The authority due to being one of the few ducal families in the kingdom.
The reputation stemming from the many achievements the Partlan family had built over time.
The honor gained through their devotion to the kingdom.
This was the Partlan family, possessing all three.
Countless people wanting some sort of connection to the people here.
As a result, the number of those wishing to attend the party was always far greater than those who actually got to.
Given the situation, the names of those attending weren’t light either.
The two princes of the Soladin Kingdom.
Those who bore the blood of other ducal families, excluding House of Burrow.
Kent, a master of swordsmanship. Rumley, who had amassed great wealth based on his rich land. Powerful noble families like Vulcan, the blue magic tower family, which served as a strength to the kingdom.
The Saintess of Jushin Church. The commander of the Claw Mercenary Group leading the forefront of various dungeon strategies. An apostle serving the god of arts. The next heir of the Wangtrum guild, connecting various countries on the continent.
Regardless of their backgrounds, no one had a light name.
While this was true, there were still differences in greatness.
Every jewel in the world radiated beautiful light, but each of those jewels had a different value.
The same went for those attending this party.
Some were nervously hoping someone would talk to them while others waited quietly, not fitting in anywhere.
And at this moment.
The name of the family waiting for the door to open beyond the party hall was undoubtedly the former.
After the person guarding the door received some message through a magical tool, they took a deep breath.
“Lord Benedict Allen and Young Lady Lucy Allen of the Allen family are entering!”
With a voice resonating throughout the entire party hall, everyone’s attention focused on the entrance. As the giant door opened, a father and daughter stepped into the party hall.
If I had to describe the pair in one word, it would be a monster and the fairy it had ensnared.
A huge physique that would turn any regular man into a child, muscles bulging as if they could tear through their suits.
A fearsome expression.
The spirit of strength inherent in a man.
Awed by the legendary stories he had created.
Benedict Allen.
Once called the kingdom’s tooth, his name was always mentioned whenever discussing the strongest on the continent, despite having lived in seclusion for a long time.
The gazes directed at him were filled with admiration, gratitude, respect, and awe.
His name deserved such looks as he had defended the kingdom against numerous adversities.
Next to him was a small girl, seemingly ready to climb onto Benedict’s waist.
Her outfit was exceedingly plain and unadorned.
A dress featuring white as its base, with gold points scattered throughout, easily mistaken for something a nameless noble girl would wear, bound to receive harsh comments.
However, no one dared to utter such words about the little girl.
Because she was far too beautiful for such remarks.
Snowy skin. A relaxed smile. Bold red eyes that mixed purity with playfulness. Twin tails swaying as if dancing in the void.
She looked like an angel painstakingly crafted by the gods.
Her beauty transformed the evaluation of her clothing.
Simplicity became purity, confidence turned to neatness, and emptiness turned to grace.
Anyone who gazed upon her would be mesmerized, yet the looks directed at the girl weren’t so kind.
Those who had long participated in the social circle simply knew what lurked beneath that angelic exterior.
Lucy Allen.
A girl infamous for her numerous mischiefs.
Had it not been for the name Benedict Allen, she would have long been wrapped in the devil’s arms.
With all the light upon Benedict, the little one felt the gods’ neglect.
Rumors circulated that Lucy Allen had changed after recently enrolling in the academy, yet hardly anyone believed it.
Even if her capabilities inside had blossomed, her nature would likely remain the same. The maliciousness she had displayed amidst countless hatred wouldn’t simply change.
This was the verdict of those who had faced Lucy Allen and had been wounded by her poison.
Given the circumstances, gazes towards Lucy Allen were far from friendly.
“Why is that girl here…?”
Someone expressed hatred.
“Leeching off the mercy of Young Lady Partlan…”
“It’s laughable how she dared challenge the First Prince without understanding her status.”
Someone expressed jealousy.
“Perhaps she made a pact with the Evil God.”
“Right. How could that shoddy trash suddenly be so grown?”
Some openly spread slander against the girl named Lucy Allen.
This space served as a place of punishment for Lucy Allen.
A punishment filled with the needles of others’ hostility.
While a normal person would likely wobble under such pain, Lucy Allen was different.
She stood before the ducal couple without a hint of wavering.
As Ducal Lord Partlan observed her, his eyebrows arched in a perfect curve.
“Thank you for the invitation, Ducal Lord and Lady Partlan.”
“Thank you for the invitation, Sloppy Duke and Weak Lady.”
Upon entering the Allen family duo, a multitude of whispers filled the hall, but the moment Lucy Allen uttered her greeting, all those sounds vanished.
It was a grave disrespect.
An extremely severe disrespect.
To utter such nonsense to the host of the party, and not just any noble family, but the great Partlan couple?!
If someone spoke carelessly, the backlash could be disastrous, and everyone held their breath, anxiously gauging the situation when the Partlan couple burst into laughter.
“Puhaha! Lady! Did you hear that?”
“I did. I can’t believe she would refer to us like that even here.”
“Such fortitude! Truly the daughter of Benedict indeed.”
Hearing that laughter right in front of him, Benedict attempted to address the situation.
“I apologize, you two. Our daughter…”
“What are you saying, Benedict? I like this nickname. Until now, I’ve only heard her cries in front of the child, and now it’s ‘Sloppy Duke’! I wish other children would also be treated as familiarly.”
“Me too. Until now, I had only heard her called a devil or a witch, but now it’s ‘Weak Lady’.”
The two smiled and patted Benedict’s shoulder, but no one, including Benedict, took those words seriously.
They merely thought Lucy’s rudeness was gently overlooked because she was the friend of the daughter, the child of the great hero Benedict.
And rightly so, those uttering such words were at the center of various horrifying rumors regarding the Partlan family.
Whoever believed those sweet-sounding words filled with superficial niceties and acted similarly would likely meet their demise that very day.
“Oh dear. I got too caught up for a moment. It’s been a while since I attended a party, so I should enjoy it. I’ll be taking my leave.”
With the duke’s terrifying laugh, the people in the hall strained to raise their voices.
No one could think that the duke’s message to enjoy the party was solely directed at the Allen duo.
*
Perhaps because it was my first time outside the mansion in a while, Benedict was frantically busy meeting people.
There were so many people wanting to greet him that a circle formed around Benedict.
As I watched that, I stealthily left Benedict’s side and headed to a corner of the party hall. Unlike Benedict, the glances directed at me were not kind at all.
[The hostility is quite blunt.]
‘True.’
While at the academy, most either feared me rather than hated me.
But this place was different. Those here showed no restraint in their hostility towards me.
Even when I briefly stepped forward, the chilling atmosphere was suffocating, but how did Lucy withstand that?
Now, I even felt a bit of respect. Genuinely.
[What the hell has she done to gather so much karma? Even with the duke showing protective intent, it's this level.]
Grandpa’s voice expressed disbelief, but I didn’t answer.
Perhaps I didn’t expect an answer. Grandpa changed the subject immediately.
[But at least it’s a relief that not everyone is filled with hostility.]
As Grandpa said, not everyone was glaring at me with sharp eyes.
There were those unfamiliar with the social circle. In other words, those appearing detached from noble status looked at me with curious gazes.
Is this part of the reward bestowed by the Shoddy God?
I still couldn’t feel it.
Arriving at an inconspicuous corner, I silently scanned the party hall for familiar faces.
Joyna and Phoebe were at the center of this party. Surrounded by countless people, they seemed unable to escape.
Frey was busy stuffing her face in the back, and where was Arthur?
Oh, there’s Avery.
As our eyes met, I slightly furrowed my brow.
Hey. About what happened at the auction. You got it, right?
Then Avery desperately nodded her head.
Regardless of her character, she was quite perceptive.
While I was contemplating this with my chin resting on my hand, I spotted Jeff walking towards me from afar.
The prince of the Partlan family, who should be the center of this party, is coming all the way to this corner.
There’s only one reason for that.
“Lady Allen. Are you ready to give your thoughts?”
No. I’m not ready.
While I did prepare, I didn’t want to present them.
Can I pass on this?
You just saw what happened. If I step up to the podium, a problem is guaranteed.
Is it really okay to have such an incident happen at the party?
Though I muttered words of complaint in my heart, the words that came out were completely the opposite.
‘Yes. I’m ready.’
“Of course, my scheming prince.”
In this situation, I wasn’t brave enough to choose to escape.
Now, let’s go make some reputational damage.
…
I really don’t want to go…
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