The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 146

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 146

At that moment.

As I naturally turned my gaze, I locked eyes with a short woman hovering nearby in the gap below. The owner of these uncomfortably sparkling eyes was…

“Miss Tara?”

“Yes!”

She was the younger of the Kalpenwieber sisters who had been rescued by me during the hunting competition.

Standing next to Tara was a relatively tall and thin woman who was the older of the Kalpenwieber sisters. The woman approached with a bright smile and politely greeted me.

“Allow me to introduce us formally, Baroness Weatherwax. I am Egwina Calpenburg, the eldest of the Calpenburg family, and this is my younger sister, Tara Calpenburg.”

As soon as the introduction was finished, Tara clung to my arm like a cicada.

“Baroness Weatherwax, I’ve been dying to see you! Even though it’s only been a day! Did you have a good night last night?”

“Tara.”

As soon as her older sister Egwina sternly scolded her, a short sigh seemed to come from somewhere.

“Sigh. What’s the point of raising daughters? She’s never looked up at her own father with such an expression…”

Duke Kalpenweber must be hiding somewhere nearby, secretly watching his daughters.

Tara, who had been pretending not to hear Egwina’s scolding, soon discovered the two giant walls standing on either side of me and nervously stepped back.

“I’m sorry. When you have your partners with you, I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous…”

“It’s fine. Stay close to me.”

“Really?”

Keep guard so those two don’t fight.

Just as I was about to ask Egwina about her partner, the chamberlain’s voice came from above the ballroom.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Before we begin the ball, we will hold a brief awards ceremony. Would the hunting competition winner please come forward.”

Finally.

Who am I? The hunting competition winner.

I walked forward majestically and stood before the chamberlain. The chamberlain glared at me with displeased eyes before slowly opening the glass case prepared behind him.

The nobles surrounding us in a circle stretched their necks and focused their attention.

“To this year’s winner, Baroness Daisy Weatherwax, His Imperial Majesty has bestowed an award. Golden replicas of the Three Treasures of Pen Rota.”

The Three Treasures of Pen Rota.

Treasures symbolizing the authority of Emperor Pen Rota.

On a white marble round table, three golden sculptures displayed their dazzling forms.

“From right to left: the scepter, crown, and orb. The Katabaloka diamonds symbolizing the scepter and crown, and the amethyst symbolizing the orb are all cut small and embedded. His Imperial Majesty invited Credne, a craftsman from the Astrosia Kingdom, to create only one set.”

“Credne!”

Small gasps erupted from various places. I don’t know who he is, but this craftsman named Credne must be quite famous. And only one set? Rarity is a mark of preciousness.

The chamberlain handed me the golden sculpture on the far right.

“This scepter is a symbol of warning against arrogant self-righteousness.”

A servant beside me received the golden sculpture on my behalf. Soon the chamberlain picked up and handed over the second golden sculpture.

“The crown is a symbol of prayer against wretched immorality.”

And the last golden sculpture.

“The orb is a symbol of the kingdom’s protection against corrupt evil spirits.”

After three servants, each holding a different golden sculpture, stood behind me, the chamberlain said to me.

“Among the three treasures, the inscription under the orb was personally engraved by His Imperial Majesty. Come to the Imperial Palace in ten days. His Majesty awaits a dinner with the Baroness. Everyone who attended the hunting competition, please congratulate Baroness Weatherwax on her victory.”

Those surrounding me clapped heartily and offered brief congratulations.

“Congratulations on your victory, Baroness Weatherwax.”

“A dinner with His Majesty. That’s a precious opportunity that can’t be obtained with just one victory. Truly enviable.”

“Ahhh! So amazing! Baroness Weatherwax is the world’s greatest beauty swordsman! The world’s greatest spirited woman!”

“Tara!”

After making a full round and everyone’s interest had cooled down.

I flipped over the golden orb that the servant was holding to check the inscription engraved underneath.

『May your soul not be tainted by corrupt evil』

I recalled the words the chamberlain had added when handing over the orb.

“The orb is a symbol of the kingdom’s protection against corrupt evil spirits.”

Corrupt evil.

These were words personally engraved and delivered by the Emperor himself. I didn’t think it was a meaningless message. This was especially true since I had confirmed through Lu what kind of aura Mephistopheles’ power carried.

‘What is the Emperor trying to tell me?’

Does this evil refer to Mephistopheles?

‘If so… in other words, don’t let Mephistopheles steal your soul, something like that.’

However, the nuance of “your soul” in the sentence bothers me. Doesn’t it sound as if someone else has already been tainted by corrupt evil?

Not long after, servants came forward to collect the three golden treasure sculptures I had received. They said they would deliver them directly to the town house tomorrow morning, so it saved me some trouble.

“That’s the woman I chose.”

Count Sereniye, who had been clapping the loudest, patted my back and acted like a doting parent. As if waiting for this, Liwein snapped back.

“Chose? You speak impiously. Consider your age, Count.”

“Age is merely an obstacle. Youth is nothing but a mirage.”

“It’s not just the age difference. Aren’t you married?”

“My former wife passed away long ago, so it’s fine.”

“Don’t you feel any guilt toward her?”

“Why would I? I was the one who urged her to leave quickly.”

“Excuse me?”

“To marry Baroness Weatherwax, I’d need to be a widower, wouldn’t I? So I specially asked her. If you’re going to leave anyway, leave early.”

Liwein was silently horrified. You believe that? Liwein is really naive.

Whether or not that was the case, Count Sereniye continued his words with a shameless face.

“Besides, I’m practically strangers with my daughter… so in some ways, I’m no different from an unmarried man. A handsome man living alone, with a heart as pure as new, a pure romantic. And this is also abundant.”

Count Sereniye curved his thumb tip and index finger tip into a circle, showing a small round shape. Then he drew a fresh smile and asked Liwein.

“Ah. Do you have more money than me, Sir?”

To be honest.

‘This is a bit embarrassing.’

Even the hot-blooded young nobles I saw when I enlisted weren’t as blatant as Count Sereniye.

Did losing his balance make him more reckless? But Count Sereniye himself seemed to have always been that kind of person…

I tried to step back, worried that the Kalpenwieber sisters might learn bad speech habits, but Tara’s flame-like flickering gaze wouldn’t leave Count Sereniye. Tara, who flinched at my gaze, belatedly cleared her throat and turned around.

“I’m sorry. Watching such a magnificent love quarrel up close made my hands shake. This is my first time seeing something like this.”

I’ve never seen a kid like you either.

“It was quite a pathetic line, but when Count Sereniye says it, it sounds strangely elegant. I guess appearance and voice really do make all the difference?”

“Shut up a bit, Tara.”

Egwina, who had sternly scolded her sister, spoke in a somewhat dreamy voice.

“The first dance will start soon.”

She was right.

Starting with servants going around the banquet hall serving drinks, the atmosphere inside rapidly changed.

First, I frequently made eye contact with people whose names I didn’t even know well. After being confused by subtle glances, I realized, ah, they weren’t making eye contact with me. They were exchanging greetings with someone of the opposite sex standing behind me.

Groups that had been clustered by family quickly dispersed, and young ladies gathered with other ladies, young gentlemen with other gentlemen, and noble ladies with other noble ladies, engaging in secretive conversations.

‘Even though that incident happened yesterday, everyone seems fine.’

Is it because they believe this banquet hall is safe?

Currently, the interior of the Imperial Palace is being protected by the Berkleighton Knights. I heard that major military figures like Count Rosebel and Count Raghwirten are also alternating between inside and outside the banquet hall, doing their utmost to prepare for any emergency.

‘If the banquet were suddenly canceled, various rumors would spread, so they’re probably forcing it to proceed even if it’s a bit much.’

Moreover, with dignitaries from various countries including the Northern Continental Alliance in attendance, it would have been even harder to back out.

I asked the Kalpenwieber sisters, who were downing their third glass of champagne.

“What about Miss Egwina and Miss Tara’s partners?”

“We both have fiancés, but a few weeks ago there was a landslide and they had riding accidents. So I’m scheduled to dance with Father from the second song, and Tara will dance with our uncle.”

“Boring, right? Who is Baroness Weatherwax’s first dance partner? Count Sereniye? Or Sir Liwein?”

Only after receiving that question did I remember Raphael’s existence.

‘Come to think of it, is Raphael also outside the banquet hall right now?’

Just as I was looking around with this question in mind.

The surrounding noise suddenly cut off.

We turned our heads toward one place as if by agreement. Footsteps suddenly piercing through the silence. A heavily rigid gait. From the moment our eyes met with the owner of those steps, the distance between us rapidly shortened.

The dazzling white uniform and the medals on his right chest were brilliant.

Raphael Jenail.

While the gap between him and me narrowed, Tara standing beside me alone covered her mouth, not knowing what to do.

“Oh my. I don’t know, I don’t know!”

I gave a simple first greeting while being conscious of Count Sereniye.

“Good evening, Raphael. You must have just arrived.”

But now that I looked, it seemed not only Raphael but also the Swordmaster had just arrived at the banquet hall.

Seeing him naturally standing beside Raphael and looking down at me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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