'How?.'
In the fear-covered consciousness, a small question raised its tail.
'How the hell is that elf here?'
'I had abandoned the elf in front of the castle and ran in the carriage at full speed.'
No. Looking back, the elf was a superhuman being who had reached the level of archmages.
If she puts her mind to it, she should be able to do it easily by leaping a short distance.
'In the end, it was a short-lived decision.'
My heartbeat became faster as I put Esily in danger.
'Damn it.'
There are two main options I can choose from here. Either take the risk by entering the ball with the elf or leave this place with the elf, so only I suffer.
If given a choice between the two, everyone would choose the latter. I was no different, so I calmly lowered my hand that covered my mouth.
"I'm sorry, but I suddenly remembered an urgent business."
"Your Excellency Regent?"
"So I have to go. Let the welcome party proceed without me."
"But if you go back like this, Lady Esily will be disappointed. It will be rude to the other people at the party."
"You are not wrong, but I have to go back now. Otherwise catastrophe—"
"Master!!~"
A chill runs down your spine at the sound of the sonorous voice.
Creak. I forcibly turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw the elf running towards me, crying.
'Do not come. Please.'
I tried to decree a celebration in my heart, but it couldn't work. Suddenly, the elf approached me and raised both of her hands in front of her chest, breathing heavily. Her coveted breasts were naturally pressed.
"The master ordered refreshments and told me to come to the annex, but I was not good enough, so I poured them out. I'm sorry, master."
Her frightened expression is excellent. The servant next to me was looking at the elf with a pitiful gaze, as if he had accepted the elf's performance with sincerity.
More than that, what was the reason for the elf to be so natural? The elf opened her mouth again as I refrained from talking for an unknown reason.
"Because you won't make mistakes in the annex!!"
A strange sense of intimidation emanates from my hesitant gestures.
'Is it?'
This elf wanted me to enter the annex with her. I don't know if it's revenge for my abandonment or if this was the plan from the beginning.
Anyway, now I have no options left. I walked past the elf, swallowing my tears.
"Trash. If you make a mistake even inside the annex, I won't let you go."
"Yes…"
The elf answered in a timid tone and followed me. The servant also hesitated for a while and then walked beside me. The servant, who looked at me quietly, spoke to me.
"Your Excellency Regent. The slave's clothes are dirty. Won't it be better to change them?"
"There is no need for that."
I don't know what will happen if I make her leave my side in the name of changing clothes. You can't call the worst to avoid the immediate situation. First of all, it was safest to keep her by my side.
The servant looked at me somewhat curiously, but he didn't bother to ask why.
As we proceeded to the entrance of the building, the servant opened the large door and shouted loudly.
"His Excellency Regent Theorard, the 7th head of the Viscount Deharm and trusted by His Excellency the Earl, is entering the annex with his supreme body!"
His voice was so loud that I thought he had used amplification magic. Perhaps thanks to that, when I took the elf inside, the eyes of the nobles gathered at the ball were drawn to me.
The hands of gourmets who ate food and desserts in front of a long table covered with mountain and sea delicacies stopped, the chatter of noble ladies who talked about haha-hoho with their fans open died down, and they were discussing the right way for the world to move forward. Scholars' competition for knowledge takes a moment of silence.
However, the silence was short, and they began to enjoy the party in the annex while talking prosperously again. Some smiled and waved at me, and I responded with an awkward smile.
'It's inconvenient.'
I didn't feel very welcome in this kind of place where I had to wear a mask and perform pretense. Still, I couldn't show my dislike for the position that Count Pelgarin had made for me.
In addition, there was an elf next to me who didn't know what she was thinking, so I had to pay attention to my behavior. It's best to stay quiet and avoid contact with other people as much as possible.
"Theorard!"
Startled by the hoarse voice, he turned his head.
Judging by the voluptuous body and luxurious clothes with an impression resembling a rice cake toad, it was Maldon, the third son of Pelgarin. I nodded and smiled.
"Long time, no see. Prince Maldon."
"Okay. It took a lot of hard work to come here from the outskirts of the county. But this is the first time I've seen the slave next to you."
Maldon licks his lips and looks over at the elf. As if she didn't like that gaze, purified mana rose around the elf like a thread.
'Fuck... !'
It's obvious. The elf hated Maldon beyond disliking him. I understand that he is looking at her body with a sinister gaze, but there is no need to raise mana!
"Those pointy ears. Are you an elf? It's my first time seeing an elven slave again. Hmm. Her breasts are big, and her hips are attractive. If you get pregnant, you will have a good baby. Of course, a vulgar slave like you cannot have a noble child."
'Stop it, you crazy bastard! You will die! Not just you; everyone at the ball could die!'
I screamed inwardly, tried to keep my composure, and raised my mouth.
"Prince Maldon. Why don't we stop talking about slavery and discuss other constructive topics?"
"For me, this is a constructive story. Don't do that, and look away. I will find out how big your slave's breasts are by touching them."
Maldon's short, chunky hand extends toward the elf. Unable to look any longer, I hurriedly raised my hand and grabbed Maldon's by the wrist.
"Yes? Now…."
Maldon, whose wrist was seized, looked back at me with a frown.
"Did you stop my actions? Are you stopping me?"
"That's right."
"Why?"
'I saved you from dying, you idiot!'
"This slave does not belong to the Young Master. It is not polite to touch a slave without the owner's permission."
"Under. Courtesy? Are you in a position to be polite to me?"
"Prince Maldon. Be careful what you say."
I can't help it more than this. I narrowed my eyes fiercely and glared at Maldon.
"I am here as the count's deputy and regent. When discussing status, try to look at your situation objectively."
"What? This guy...!"
Maldon tried to withdraw his hand in anger, but I wouldn't let go. Maldon, who had twitched his arms several times, gnashed his teeth in anger.
"Let go."
"If you swear, you will not lay a hand on my slave."
"... I'm going to do that, so let go!"
I calmly nodded and let go of my wrist. Maldon grabbed his wrist, looked at me ferociously, muttered something, then jerked past.
At the same time, the mana energy emitted from the elf's body subsides. Thinking she was lucky, she trimmed her collar, and the elf looked up at me with moving eyes.
"I'm sorry, master. Because of me..."
"Shut up. Isn't it because you don't know the subject and cling to me next to me?"
"Hey..."
"Huh. I don't want to see you, so get out of here."
As I looked down coldly, the elf hesitated and nodded her head.
I'm glad I was able to separate the elves. I let out a low sigh and walked to the center of the hall, but stopped in awe when I saw a woman with a familiar appearance.
'Esily?'
Silky blonde hair and blue eyes catch my attention. Wearing a dress that was slightly open at the thigh and wearing antique jewelry, her appearance was different from her usual plain appearance and was more attractive.
She was staring, mesmerized, and Esily strode up to her and gave me a disapproving look. A wine glass was in her hand.
"Sir Theorard. Who the hell did you come to the ball with?"
'What are you talking about?'
"Isn't this ball a welcome party for me? Why not come..."
"It's shameless. Do you really come when you say come? Can't you tell the difference between a joke and a serious one?"
"Esley. I just...."
"If you have something to say, sit down and do it. My legs hurt after standing for a long time."
After dispersing her signature aura, Esily went to the table by her window and sat down. After a moment of stupor, I followed Esily and sat on the other side of the table.
Sitting in her chair, she raised her head and saw an elf watching from the side of the entrance of the outbuilding behind Silly.
"Sir Theorard. Do you know what a lousy man you are?"
'Why are you talking so harshly?'
When he couldn't answer because his heart was about to break, Esily secretly lifted the hem of her dress.
"What are you doing?"
As I freaked out, Esily put her index finger to her mouth and stared at me. I nodded her head, apparently meaning to be quiet, and slowly looked down. On Esily's exposed thighs, papers fastened with string were rolled up.
With a natural motion of his hand, I pulled out the paper and opened the first page. On the unfolded paper, letters were written in elegant handwriting.
Theorard. I want to believe in you, so I've created a question here so that an elf with good hearing can't hear it. From now on, please answer the questions on this paper, not my words. Can you?
'Oh, that's why you sat with your back to the elf while pretending to belittle me. To keep the elf from seeing this after killing their doubts.'
I nodded my head after grasping Esily's plan.
"Don't be silent; speak up. Do you know that you are a bad person?"
Esily unfolded the next piece of paper.
'Are you being watched by an elf? Sir Theorard, are you carrying a secret that you cannot tell anyone, let alone me?'
"Yes."
"Goofy, you are trash."
Unfold the paper again.
'Was it a lie to say that the elf was 25 years old? Even at that time, you acted evil in front of me to keep an eye on the elf.'
"That's how it is."
After hearing my answer, Esily put on a dazed expression for a while. She should be glad that her prediction came true, but she didn't talk out loud.
She was just counting the pain I must have suffered and sympathizing with me, who must have suffered from countless misunderstandings. With trembling hands, I unfolded her last piece of paper.
'Also. You are the theorist I knew.'
However, the sale to reduce the suspicion of the elf must continue. I bit her lip hard on the fact, and she smiled with difficulty.
"You really... you are a bad person."
A smile stained with guilt and regret shines brightly in the moonlight by the window.
Thanks to that, I couldn't stand the feeling of crying. It was because I was more moved by the fact that there was someone who had doubts about my actions and tried to understand them, and that it was Esily.
But in a relationship, that can't be true.
"It looked good."
I, too, couldn't help but smile mischievously as I looked at Esily.