Gossip spread around the royal capital like wildfire with the King's announcement. For the first time in several decades, the medal of honor had seen the light of day once again. It was an unprecedented event no one had expected.
With the award ceremony out of the way, it was time to face Grey and Yuna's next obstacle. It was yet another time to endure the prying eyes of the crowd, and not just any crowd, but a crowd of nobles. The after party.
After waving and smiling for minutes in front of the populace, along with the royal family, the Prime Minister, and the other guests of honor, Yuna and Grey headed to the venue wherein the party will be held.
It was already a tradition for nobility to hold a party during the eve of the founding festival. It was just that now that there was an awarding ceremony, the party had become more grand.
While such parties are a common occurrence for the gentry, nobility, and royalty, that same event is an enigma for Grey and the others who were adventurers. They all didn't want to attend such a troublesome party.
Thankfully, the party was not set right after the awarding ceremony. It was arranged to be celebrated in the evening until midnight. It was thanks to it that Grey and Yuna still had time to have lunch and relax in the afternoon.
"Lady Yuna, can you tell me more about the Labyrinth of Death?" ［Iris］
"Sure, but it's a long story... Do you still want to listen?" ［Yuna］
"Yes. I would love to." ［Iris］
Despite how calm and collected the princess usually was, when it came to things she was curious about, she acted like any other kid. The only difference was that she still acted mannerly and kept control of her composure.
Having lunch together and spending the afternoon together as well, everyone became much closer to each other than they were before. It wasn't just the princess and Yuna...
"Grey, I've heard from Julius that you made this dessert called "ice cream" as well. Do you still have some on you?" ［Ernes］
"Your Majesty, it is improper for a king to be asking so crudely." ［Anderson］
"Stop nagging me. It's because you don't know the joy of eating good food that you look so haggard. Your hair might even start falling any second now." ［Ernes］
"Your Majesty..." ［Anderson］
... Grey also had his fair share of companionship, albeit more peculiar than what one would expect. He has been caught in another of one the King and Prime Minister's useless banters.
"No! Burying them alive is much better!" ［Kris］
"What?! That's just stupid! It's faster to incinerate them!" ［Vanessa］
"But what about the surroundings? Wouldn't they be burnt as well?" ［Kris］
"Then what about the mana crystals? They'll be buried on the ground!" ［Vanessa］
The King and Prime Minister weren't the only ones bantering, Kris and Vanessa were also having their own. They were arguing with one another what was the best way to kill a thousand goblins in a single strike. A totally pointless conversation.
Kurt and Aria could only shake their heads as the watched the idiotic conversation between the two. They had totally lost all hope in the two of them and just wanted to get finished with everything.
It was only after a while that their conversation died down, only to change their topic towards that of diving a thousand meters under the water, yet another pointless conversation. It was a cycle which continued until the afternoon finished.
As the sun started to set, everyone headed to the main hall where the nobility were already acquainting themselves with one another. And as usual, the first thing to greet them was a pair of huge luxurious doors.
Just from the door alone, one could easily figure out how luxurious the party was going to be. Even though they were still outside, a cheerful and gaudy atmosphere already loomed over them.
"The Royal Family has arrived!"
Without needing a single word, the knights guarding the doors quickly greeted everyone, and soon after, they opened doors to the main, producing a heavy creaking sound and successfully drawing all attention.
Curious gazes came from all directions as they eyed not only the royal family, but the ones with them as well. While it was a little uncomfortable, Grey and Yuna just ignored them and dealt with it.
"Waah～! It's the royal family and the heroes!"
"They really are young!"
"Ahh～! They looked at us!"
Gossips, idle talks, and the stunned gazes of people immediately came flying throughout the hall from all sides and corners. The ones who just entered were undoubtedly the stars of the night.
But of course, even though they have been mesmerized by the royal family and the heroes, they still didn't forget to be courteous and politely greeted them when they passed by them.
The royal family were already accustomed to it and greeted them back as they continued walking their way towards the front wherein a couple of especially gaudy looking tables were located.
"On this fateful day, we shall celebrate and take into heart the bravery of these heroes in front of us who risked their own lives for the sake of our beloved kingdom. I once again present to you, our dear heroes! Lt. General Vanessa von Filsatra! Commander Kurt von Helsberg! Duke Kris! Countess Aria! Archduke Grey! And Archduchess Yuna! Everyone, let us give them our sincerest and warmest applause!" ［Ernes］
One by one, the King introduced the six heroes to the crowd of nobles gathered before his eyes. And as time passed, the cheers and claps of those nobles only grew louder and merrier.
While it was true that they were clapping and cheering wholeheartedly, the nobles can't keep themselves from getting shocked about the heroes' ranks. Especially with Yuna and Grey being an archduchess and archduke, respectively.
Some nobles who wanted to make use of Grey and Yuna's youth and naivety quickly changed their minds after realizing they were S-rankers. They could only imagine the consequences if they crossed the line.
"Without any further ado, let this celebration begin!" ［Ernes］
After the deafening cheers and claps, the evening party had finally started and one by one, groups upon groups of people crowded the six. Most of them were feudal lords and their wives.
The Landevars, Aldridges, and Geldorias were also present in the hall, but neither one of their family members approached the six. They wanted for the commotion to quell before doing so.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Count..."
"Good day, I am called..."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness..."
Stiff and formal greetings bombarded Grey and Yuna from all directions, asking from "What do you think about this?" or "How old are you?" or "Have you ever gone to this place?". Luckily, Vanessa was there to entertain most of them.
It took more than an hour before the number of people swarming them dwindled, and needless to say it was very tiring for them to deal with all of them, even though they only stood there and answered their questions.
It wasn't any better for Kris and Aria as they also had to deal with a similar situation. While theirs weren't as many as Grey and Yuna's, it was still tiring as Vanessa wasn't there to help them out.
"Haah... It's finally over..." ［Kris］
"Nobles really are something..." ［Aria］
"I didn't imagine the party to be this stressful..." ［Yuna］
"I couldn't agree with you more..." ［Grey］
""""Haah...""""
As if they were just one being, all four of them heaved a deep sigh simultaneously. As adventurers, they weren't able to keep up with the nobles, even though technically, they also held noble ranks themselves.
"Hm? What happened to the four of you...?" ［Vanessa］
Vanessa asked whilst nonchalantly sipping a glass of orange juice. She was in a completely different state. Although she received her from Ranzel from time to time, it was still a fact that she dealt with the most number of people.
Kurt, who was with her, was also calm. He was even better than handling nobles and was able to make them cut the conversation short. A true master which people could only aspire to become.
"Actually, you're the strange one for staying just fine, Vanessa." ［Kris］
"Hmm... It might be because I'm already used to it. Things like balls and parties are easy to handle once you get the hang of it." ［Vanessa］
"Sure, sure, should I call you 'Master' from now on?." ［Kris］
"Feel free to do so. That doesn't sound bad at all!" ［Vanessa］
Kris only said it jokingly, but Vanessa took his words literally, making the former stare at her with disbelief in his eyes. Fortunately for Vanessa, Kris was too tired to quarrel at the moment.
"Haah... Anyway, is it really alright for a noble to only drink orange juice at a party? I thought you would be the type to drink wine like everybody else." ［Kris］
"Well, I'm not really good with alcohol, so I'm just settling with this. I like sweet drinks anyways." ［Vanessa］
Vanessa said as she took a sip from her glass of orange juice. Meanwhile, Kurt looked at her with empty eyes and Ranzel only looked at her with a sweet smile. They were expressions which only meant one thing.
'That's obviously a lie.' ［Grey］
Though Grey as he saw the subtle yet expressive changes on Kurt and Ranzel's faces. After all, Vanessa was the type to enjoy all kinds of foods and drinks. It was weird that she didn't like something many nobles did.
Rather than saying that she doesn't want to drink, it was better to say that she couldn't. Not only because she was pregnant, but also because of her personality when she became drunk. It was something she didn't want people to see.
"Grey, you're not thinking of something rude, aren't you?" ［Vanessa］
Vanessa, with her almost animalistic intuition, asked with a smile which wasn't a smile. It was an expression in which Grey could clearly feel something ominous. A bad foreboding so to say.
"By the way, Big Sis Vanessa... Where did you get that juice from?" ［Grey］
"Oh, you can just get them over... thereー Grey, you weren't trying to shift the topic, weren't you?" ［Vanessa］
Grey tried to change the topic but it was just a futile effort, it only took Vanessa a few seconds to figure out what he was doing. She was one again guided by her supernatural-level intuition.
"Uh... Umm... Everyone, why don't I get you some drinks?" ［Grey］
Driven into a corner, Grey couldn't do anything else but run away from Vanessa's intense and dangerous gaze. Everyone else looked at them warmly and curiously as if they were looking at some kind of exhibition.
"Well then, Grey, I'll have some red wine." ［Kris］
"I'll also be having the same." ［Aria］
"For me, I'll have orange juice like Big Sis Vanessa." ［Yuna］
"I don't need one." ［Kurt］
"Same for me. I'm quite weak to alcohol, you see." ［Ranzel］
While it was obvious what Grey was trying to do, everyone just decided to play along with him. After all, they could get drinks out of it without needing to go to the display table where many troublesome nobles were gathered.
"Alright. Two glasses of wine and a glass of orange juice it is. How about you, Big Sis Vanessa?" ［Grey］
"... Haah... You really are sly, Grey... Then I'll have another glass of orange juice as well. Make sure it's chilled, okay?" ［Vanessa］
"Roger that!" ［Grey］
Brought by his own actions, Grey headed to where the table for refreshments was, and as one would expect, a lot of people had their eyes fixated on him while he headed there.
It was only then that Grey understood his foolishness. Thankfully, none of them approached him as most of them had already done so. Grey also didn't want them to, which is a win for him.
"Your Highness, is there anything you want?" ［Waiter］
Having been focused on the people looking at him, before he noticed, Grey had already arrived at the table for refreshments. Luckily, the waiter was able to call out to him before he crashed into it.
"Ah, I would like to have two glasses of red wine and three glasses of orange juice." ［Grey］
"Understood." ［Waiter］
"Oh, and right, could you lessen the ice in one of the orange juices?" ［Grey］
Requested Grey as he remembered how much Yuna hated having too much ice on her drinks. His request puzzled the waiter for a little bit, but the waiter quickly regained his composure.
"Very well, Your Highness. Then which table should we bring the drinks over to?" ［Waiter］
"There's no need, I'll be bringing them over myself." ［Grey］
"B-But..." ［Waiter］
The face of the waiter looked troubled the moment Grey said those words. It was his job to deliver the drinks but he didn't want to disobey Grey either, hence putting him in a dilemma.
Grey could understand where the waiter was coming from. It was a situation where If his superior hears about it or if a customer complains about them being too persistent, he could lose his job. It was doom for her no matter what happened.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." ［Grey］
Still a little hesitant, the waiter gave up on the idea of opposing Grey and just proceeded on preparing the drinks that the latter had ordered. He muttered not a single word while doing so.
"Ah, Your Highness!" ［???］
While Grey was waiting for the drinks to be finished, an unfamiliar voice suddenly called out to me from behind. The voice belonged to a fit-looking middle-age man who was rushing towards him.
"Ah! Pardon me for suddenly calling out to you, Your Highness. I am Gerald Tobias, the current mayor of the city of Erdea. I would like to express my deepest gratitude for saving us." ［Gerald］
The man's words were exactly of the same format as the nobles who had greeted Grey before. While Grey just wanted to quit, he still smiled in reply and politely answered the man.
"It's nothing much. We just happen to have the same goal with the kingdom. That was the reason why we participated in the raid." ［Grey］
"No, we weren't talking about the raid. We were talking about what happened about 3 weeks ago, Your Highness." ［Gerald］
Contrary to Grey's expectation, he and Gerald were on completely different wavelengths. The latter did not talk about the raid, but rather, about an incident which occurred three weeks ago. It was something Grey had a hard time remembering about.
With his "Memory Bank", Grey could remember any piece of memory he wanted to, but with how many things happened over the past few weeks, he didn't know which one it was all about, Things only became clear when another man walked in.
"I believe Lord Gerald is talking about the bandit attack, Your Highness." ［???］
"Ah! The knight from that time!" ［Grey］
Because of shock, Grey wasn't able to hold himself back and yell my thoughts out loud. Luckily, everyone was so busy with their own conversations that no one was able to hear him.
The man was none other than the leader of the knights Grey helped out on their way towards the Royal Capital. He could clearly remember the man's characteristics with how tough-looking and muscular he was.
"Hahaha, it seems you remember our head guard that day. He is Conrad, a colonel from Erdea. He's also one of my most trusted aides." ［Gerald］
"It's a pleasure to meet you once again, Your Highness. I am forever grateful for your help." ［Conrad］
"Don't worry about it. We just happen to pass by while heading here. It was just a coincidence that we met you on the way." ［Grey］
"But it's because of that mere coincidence that we are safe and sound. Once again, I give you my utmost gratitude, Your Highness." ［Gerald］
Like many people had done before, Gerald and Conrad bowed their heads to Grey to express their gratitude. But Grey, on the receiving end, only felt uncomfortable with how many people had bowed their heads towards him in a single day.
"Please raise your heaー" ［Grey］
"Grey～!" ［Yuna］
Before Grey could finish his words, another voice rang from behind him once again, but this time, he was 100% sure who the owner of the voice was. It belonged to his one and only beloved, Yuna.
"You're taking you so long. Is there something wrong?" ［Yuna］
"Ah, no, I just happened to run into Lord Gerald and Colonel Conrad." ［Grey］
Grey said whilst signaling his hand towards them, making Yuna's attention shift from him to the two of them. She then eyed them curiously afterwards, trying to figure out who they were.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness, Lady Yuna. I would like to express my gratitude for saving us a few weeks ago." ［Gerald］
"A few weeks ago...?" ［Yuna］
While Gerald was expressing his gratitude sincerely, Yuna on the other hand was mumbling a question under her breath. She was on a completely different page with him, just like Grey before.
"They were the ones in the carriage which was attacked by bandits about three weeks ago." ［Grey］
"Ahh... That one..." ［Yuna］
But with a simple explanation, Yuna was able to understand the state of things quickly. In spite of that, her eyes were more focused towards the drinks rather than what they were currently dealing with.
"I'm glad that you remembered, Your Highness. Also, Lord Grey, you don't need to be formal with me. After all, an archduke is much more powerful than a mere mayor such as myself." ［Gerald］
Gerald ended his statement with a small laugh. Conrad was also in agreement with him and nodded his head in silence. They were the same type of people like Gustav who minded a clear hierarchy.
"Well then, Mister Gerald... about what happened a few days ago, you really don't have to worry about it. We're just glad we could be of help." ［Grey］
"Ah, I'm worried that we can't just settle it likeー" ［Gerald］
"No, like I said, it's really alright. Anyway, it seems like I'm already being called over. It was nice meeting you, Mister Gerald." ［Grey］
"So it seems... I hope I can invite you to my home some time in the future, Your Highnesses. I really want to thank the both of you properly." ［Gerald］
"Then, we would be imposing on your kindness when the time comes." ［Grey］
Using Yuna's arrival as an excuse, Grey managed to escape from yet another troublesome situation. He then headed back towards their tables with Yuna, and the drinks he ordered at hand.
'Erdea, huh...' ［Grey］
On the way there, Grey was reminded about the city Gerald mentioned over their short-lived conversation. It was the name of an independent city-state he also wanted to visit some time in the future.
Back on the table, the others were just being their usual selves as they chatted peacefully. There were any more nobles approaching them anymore and so, they could now relax themselves.
"Grey, Yuna, you're back. What took you so long?" ［Kris］
"Sorry, we ran into someone on the way there." ［Grey］
"I see... But you know, someone's been looking for the two of you." ［Kris］
""???"" ［Grey and Yuna］
Seeing Grey and Yuan's confused faces, Kris then immediately shifted his eyes towards a table not far away. There, a white-haired middle-aged man was sitting alone in silence.
"It's Marquess Beldon." ［Vanessa］
""Eh?"" ［Grey and Yuna］
CHAPTER 100 END