NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44 - Episode 44: Summoned to the Palace
Episode 44: Summoned to the Palace
(Return to Frim’s Perspective)
I managed to stop the fire somehow, but I messed up. Some of the laundry facilities, which had been improved while I was away, are now unusable, and I feel sorry about it.
Also, the Red Dragon Knights came in with a bang, but they were somehow dealt with by Lord Forblin… though for some reason, they stayed and I couldn’t leave the room.
It felt awkward that knights of the kingdom were in what seemed like a shady gambling den, but it couldn’t be helped. I got startled when I found someone standing next to the door when I tried to go to the toilet… don’t follow me.
By noon, I apologized to Markea about the faulty facilities. She accepted the apology right away, but apologizing in front of the sheets made me feel embarrassed, like I’d wet the bed or something.
“I’ll support you for my own goals… but don’t expect me to have manners, alright?”
“Of course, boss!”
“…From now on, call me Dugga. You’re going to be my master.”
“Dugga… I can’t. Please give me some time to gradually fix things, boss.”
Will I get punched for saying that? It’s hard to call someone older than me by their name.
“I’ll gradually improve my language, but I always hated manners… It’s funny to be learning etiquette at this age.”
“What do mean by learning etiquette?”
“Me, Bursa, and Forblin all ran away together.”
“I see.”
Boss decided to support me. I feel like I’ve gotten closer to him than before. When I asked about Lord Forblin, he told me. Forblin, two years older than me, lived in the neighboring mansion. The three of them, who were mischievous since childhood, were supposed to learn etiquette together, but they followed Forblin’s lead and played around in the downtown area instead. He’s a hopeless older brother figure.
Just by seeing me talking with Boss and getting along, the other subordinates in the gambling den are shocked, but when I call him Dugga, the other subordinates are even more surprised, as if their eyes are popping out.
Ael came and taught me the arrangements for the ceremony a few days later. I’m also being taught etiquette, but it feels like listening to the language of the universe and it doesn’t sink in at all. Timing to bow your head or adjust the angle of your knees and buttocks… I don’t really understand what they’re talking about. Waiting in the middle at a distance of 23 steps… but adults and children don’t have the same stride, do they? There’s no way I can perfectly handle the ceremony of the highest institution of the country a few days after learning etiquette. It would be makeshift, and I need to think about various things beforehand.
I suddenly merged with Frim with my memories of living in Japan, but I don’t remember much about Frim’s past. I do remember being in a sparkling mansion, but I remember the back alley life more vividly. I can’t say that the ghostly me dominates most of the personality. If I say it, I might be killed for exorcism… But I feel like because I became a child’s body, the emotions of a child and the rationality of an adult are merging and controlling me. Sometimes when I look back at my actions, I think, “Huh?” and find it strange. I have to hide the things I can’t say and construct a cover story that the people of this country will accept. I collapsed in some accident and don’t remember much before that, and Boss picked me up and raised me. It’s not strange that I knew that I had strong water powers from seeing the blue hair… well, that’s it, but there’s also the possibility that Boss might kick me out even after saying “I’ve decided to support you”, so I need to inform the king through Ael that the support has been decided. It’s like confirming mutual understanding with the king.
—
“Welcome! Fleemis Tanana Raym Lucarim!”
“Just call me Frim as usual.”
“That’s right. It’s good to also call me Chal.”
Summoned to the king’s presence to receive the reward for repelling the assassins. The nobles were restless. They probably never expected me to answer straightforwardly.
“Lucarim? Was there a young lady of that age in the Lucarim family?”
“How rude.”
“No, wasn’t Tanana and Raym a former close aide to King Chaltoru?”
“That can’t be…”
“Are you deceiving us with your name again?”
And they’re reacting more than I expected to my name.
I’ve never been here during cleaning. High ceilings, luxurious-looking thrones, nobles in expensive clothes, and knights in colorful armor. I feel both sorry for having so many people lined up just for me and… nervous after all.
“Isn’t that rude! This is why I hate field wizards!!”
The nobleman seemed nervous and I was promptly scolded for my manners. I knew I had to bow my head and wait until I was allowed to speak directly to the king.
“The one being rude is you. And today, I called you here to reward Frim, who saved my life… Are you trying to embarrass me?”
“Wha… Frim, who was called a peerless beauty!!? Is she really this child?!”
“Perhaps my saying that little Frim was as cute as a puppy was misunderstood… well, whatever. Step back.”
“…Yes.”
The nervous-looking nobleman quickly returned to the line of nobles.
This was planned. If someone randomly complained, we wouldn’t know what would happen, and we couldn’t control it, so we gave the usual warning as planned.
But a peerless beauty? I think Frim-chan has a cute face, but aren’t I too young to be called a beauty?
“I’m sorry, Frim. Did I offend you by calling you here for the reward?”
“No, I just don’t know manners because I’ve been studying magic.”
“I see. I’ll forgive all of Frim’s rudeness. Without you, I wouldn’t be alive. And who’s the man you brought with you?”
So now I’ve been forgiven for being rude to the king. It’s said that it would take years to master proper manners. And in this country, while having good manners is certainly better, magical strength is considered a more important criterion. Lord Forblin and Bursa sometimes speak roughly, and they seem more like “rough people in the underworld” than what I think of as “nobles”.
The nobles’ eyes are on Boss. He’s not wearing the usual “slightly nice clothes for a commoner,” but rather something like “expensive-looking clothes that quite make him look like a merchant.” But still, he has scars on his face, and he looks like a mafia boss.
“He’s Dugga-sama, who raised me.”
“Where is he from?”
“We have the information.”
The person next to the king reads out about Dugga-sama. He said Boss was from the Druggen family, and because he was a twin, he was kicked out of the family and made a living as a merchant. They didn’t mention anything about earth magic. Lord Bursa can use earth magic, but Boss can’t. Although it’s a branch family, the succession issue is significant in the prominent Druggen family of earth magic users. Being kicked out with siblings seems to have softened the eyes of the nobles a little. Maybe they could see the hardship because of the scars on his face.
“Well done. Let’s leave the reward for after the banquet! Enjoy yourselves!!”
―――――… Up to here went as planned, but the problem starts from here.
What we’ve done so far is like a greeting at the entrance, and there’s going to be a banquet, and then we’ll receive the reward. Ael is by my side, but unexpectedly, I’m being talked to more than I expected.
“I’m XXX XXX XXXX! This time, Your Majesty―――”
“No, well done! You’ve studied well at your age. Oh, sorry for the delayed greeting, XXX XXXX.”
“I, I’m XXXX Duke XXXXXXXX―――”
“I’m XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Viscount XXXXXXXX. Nice to meet you, little lady.”
“I am XXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX! If you don’t mind, would you be the bride of my son, XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXX?” “XXXXXXXXXXXXXX”
(Note: Lolololol. I mean.. Good for me I guess. Good job author! No need to made up a name that only appeared once. And also who is this f—er who is discussing marriage proposal with a little girl)
The names are so… long!!!?? I’m not in business, and I’m not good at remembering names in research positions?! Can’t they be simple like Tanaka or Sato or Suzuki? I can’t remember the names at all, they just go in one ear and out the other. No, even if they’re said right in front of me, I don’t understand what they’re saying. Stop introducing sons-in-law.
“I’m Fleemis Tanana Raym Lucarim. I’m good at water magic.”
I keep a smile on my face and use the muscles in my face just to greet. I somehow managed to remember the long names. Those who can use water magic are highly valued, and it seems they don’t mind if the main people are commoner merchants; they even come to recruit in front of Boss. Today isn’t the place for that, and Ael is telling me to hold back, but I can’t keep up with the greeting.
“Hmph. Isn’t the Lucarim family supporting the Raym family?”
“What on earth is the king thinking?”
“Are we being deceived after all?”
“Don’t you sense that power…?”
“She’s been called a dragon or something, but she’s still a young girl.”
“I’ve heard she’s the goddess of mayonnaise.”
“But what about Tanana and Raym?”
“No, no, the water noble families were on good terms, and there should have been such escorts before the king took the throne.”
“Well, if that’s the case, but still…”
The stares around me are intense. Ael brings some delicious-looking dishes, suggesting it’s time to eat something and receive the reward. …There might be someone among these nobles who’s trying to kill me. There must have been someone guiding the assassins, and the suspicious individuals before that too. Though I’m nervous and the food tastes like nothing, I still pose as if eating, cramming it into my stomach. The greeting battle was unpleasant, but there doesn’t seem to be sudden attacks, so the banquet might end somehow. All that’s left is to talk to the king… The crowd stirs as someone approaches.
“May I greet you? I am Elstra Cause Lucarim.”
“I’m Fleemis Tanana Raym Lucarim.”
―――A girl with blue hair, just like me, approaches.