Chapter 161
A party was held to celebrate the Empire's birthday.
Nobles from the Empire, as well as delegations sent from the Holy Kingdom and other parts of the Empire, all sorts of people roamed the party hall to achieve their goals.
Caron was also busy moving around, no less than them.
'That's Donovan, the finance minister of the Doron Kingdom.'
He was one of the persons of interest.
"Would you like a cocktail?"
"Hmm, thank you."
"The table is dirty. I'll clean it up for you."
"Thanks. Anyway, that's the item we've recently been developing. If the Duchy could open up the Dallan port for us..."
Caron pretended to clean the table and eavesdropped on their conversation.
Even though Caron was right in front of them, they failed to recognize him.
It was because he had lost 30kg in a month, dislocated his shoulder blades to reduce his physique, and even received special make-up.
To ordinary people's eyes, he could only be seen as a typical servant.
'As expected, it's the Dallan port. The information I obtained last time seems to be correct.'
They were looking for a new trade route because the taxes on the ports managed by the Empire were expensive.
Although the Dallan port was small, it was a place that could sufficiently function as a trade route if they built up the land for about 1-2 years.
'I can't leave it like that. We'll have to lower the port taxes for the time being. To completely break the Duchy's will to develop, we may need to give them tax exemption benefits for a few months.'
That was the extent of his thoughts. How much they should cut taxes, whether or not to give tax exemptions, and if so, for how many months.
These were tasks for the experts to handle.
His job was only to acquire information, determine its authenticity, and pass it on.
Caron kept snooping around here and there without rest.
While he sometimes obtained nutritious information like now, more than 90% was useless information.
It was because people who knew there were eyes and ears everywhere were careful with their words.
That wasn't all. He could also see the figures of rats sent from other countries from time to time.
He couldn't deal with them now.
He would only handle them if they remained in the Empire even after the party was over.
'It seems like there are more of them compared to last year. I'll have to spread more false information. I need to report that we should send in a few more rats...'
Caron didn't start at the top of the rats from the beginning.
He had just shed his novice status and was appointed as a mid-level manager.
It meant he still had a lot of running around to do.
Suddenly, someone captured Caron's gaze.
A woman surrounded by dozens of people, holding a wine glass.
Renia, the head of the Lester family.
"......"
Caron stared at her blankly.
It wasn't the first time he saw Renia.
Although the Lester family was said to be closed off, they always showed their faces at some parties.
Moreover, Renia had taken the position of family head at the age of twenty and was considered one of the most skilled people of the time.
Council meetings, dispatches, missions, parties, etc.
Caron had seen Renia's face from time to time.
But even today, he couldn't help but stare at her face blankly.
It was a really strange thing.
He was in the middle of a mission, but he kept staring at a face he already knew.
Fortunately, the people around him didn't look at Caron strangely for doing so.
Rather, many joined Caron in his action.
Staring blankly at Renia, that is.
'Well, in a way, it's only natural.'
A swordswoman considered the best, outstanding beauty, and a mysterious image from not being able to meet her easily.
It would be strange not to stare.
So Caron's behavior was not reprimanded. Rather, it was praised.
They said it was 'natural acting'.
On the other hand, other rats were severely scolded.
Because someone who was only eager to obtain information looked suspicious no matter who saw them.
"Good work. Take a short break and come back."
Perhaps thanks to that, Caron was given a short break.
He wandered around looking for a quiet place. He wanted to rest his ears that had become tired from the noise of the party hall.
And finally, he found a suitable place.
A long corridor where bright moonlight shone down.
Perhaps because everyone who came to the party had gathered, not even a person's shadow could be seen.
The problem was that today was a full moon.
The white moonlight came in through every window, brightly illuminating the corridor.
'It's too bright.'
Light did not suit a rat, someone who did dirty work.
Caron chose to hide behind a pillar. He hid his body in the shadow cast behind the pillar.
As he was taking a short break leaning against the pillar, he heard a sound.
Clack-.
The sound came from the window next to him.
Caron immediately recognized that the sound was made by high-heeled shoes.
It wasn't a strange thing. This was a space anyone could enter.
Someone tired from the party had drifted here while looking for a place to rest.
It was a problem that could be easily solved if he thought that way.
Caron, who had instantly resolved one case, soon realized something was wrong.
'...This is the 3rd floor.'
The person hadn't walked from the opposite corridor.
Not only was there no presence, but it was impossible to hide the sound of high heels in the long corridor made of marble.
Caron didn't believe in ghosts.
There was only one conclusion.
'An intruder?'
It was rare for a lady to freely come and go through the window on the 3rd floor.
An intruder disguised as a lady had begun their activity after infiltrating the party.
That made sense.
He peeked out from behind the pillar. And then...
He made direct eye contact with the intruder.
"Hmm? You're a rat. You know who I am, right?"
The surprise was only for a moment. Because he realized who the intruder was.
Renia de Lester, the head of the Lester family.
It would be strange not to know.
However, Caron couldn't help but be flustered.
Someone he had only watched from afar for several years.
To not only face such a person up close, but also exchange words with them.
It was too scary and frightening.
"Right now, there's no need for that. Come out and rest with me."
Renia reached out her hand towards him.
Her hand was half-dyed by the white moonlight and half by darkness.
Light and darkness, the sunny and shady sides.
Renia easily broke through the two unmixable relationships.
Caron unconsciously reached out his hand.
Was this meeting a bad relationship or a good one?
He carefully grabbed Renia's hand.
No matter how much he walked towards the light, he couldn't escape the darkness he had been immersed in.
To him who had lived longing for the light.
It was the day the light first approached him.
*
Murmur murmur-.
Whisper whisper-.
Chatter chatter(?).
After the weekend passed, I entered the classroom for lessons.
The eyes of the kids looking at me were unusual.
It was like they were looking at a beast, not a person.
"No way, I heard he cheated on Lady Luna?"
"Oh my, oh my!"
"I told you all men are the same. They don't know a good wife when they see one!"
The source of the rumors was obvious without even looking.
When I looked towards where Yuridia was, she showed a relaxed smile.
It was an attitude telling me to have a taste of my own medicine.
"Octopus tentacles is the worst."
"Octopus tentacles is an understatement. According to rumors, he reached out his evil hands to twenty people."
"T-Twenty people?"
"That's right."
"Then that's not an octopus. Yes, Kraken! The term Kraken would be appropriate!"
"Kraken Zero! Terrifying just like his face!"
Whisper whisper-!
The kids' voices gradually grew louder.
"You guys are too much. What's wrong with being a Kraken?"
Was that bothering her? Luna, who was next to me, opened her mouth.
Ooh, Luna. You're going to get angry for me?
As expected, one well-raised daughter is better than ten sons.
Show those bad guys what you've got!
"No matter how messed up his face is, there's a limit. It may be ugly, but he's at least at the level of a squid!"
...Well, it seems my child-rearing was a failure.
I should abandon her sometime.
"He's coming!"
The noisy class became as quiet as a dead mouse.
Because Caron appeared.
"This is sudden, but today we will be having a basic physical fitness test."
"Huh?"
"You don't need to overdo it, but don't slack off either."
Caron usually aimed for training that was like actual combat.
But suddenly a fitness test?
"It might be a test that includes sparring."
"It could be the five events of knighthood."
"Don't tell me it's an obstacle race or something?"
However, the test Caron prepared was extremely ordinary.
Under the instructors' direction, we simply ran lightly around the course.
He didn't even record scores.
'It's just to pick out any hidden injured persons.'
That's right. It's an episode in the game.
Preparation before doing 'that' to weed out the kids dragging down the average.
'This time it's running, huh.'
A race where two people run together and compete.
Teron took a spot next to me as I was preparing.
"Kuku! You seem busy these days."
"Keke, wouldn't the busiest be Sir Teron?"
"No, the busiest person is someone in a relationship. Isn't that so? Kraken Zero."
...This damn guy?
"Keke, that's a nickname that makes me want to join the Yuridia faction right away."
"You want to go to the side that gave you such a disparaging nickname. Do you like nicknames that slander you? If so, we can come up with something worse on our side."
"For example?"
"Let's see. How about Double Kraken?"
I've decided. From today, I'm at the forefront of the Yuridia faction.
I'll put all my effort into crushing the Teron faction.
"Just kidding, friend."
"Keke, I was also joking about crushing the Teron faction."
"That's scary. I look forward to it. Of course, I mean your activities as the Kraken."
As soon as the signal horn sounded, Teron ran forward.
"Do you see that?"
"Yes, they look really close."
"Even men are no exception to the Kraken's tentacles!"
"Oh my, oh my!"
...Anyway, I'm the only sane one in this damn academy.
I passed the finish line with relaxed steps.
100m dash record, 45 seconds.
Hmm, not bad for walking.
"What? Is it really over with this?"
"There's no store points either. Did I try hard for nothing?"
The kids whispered, saying they didn't understand Caron's intentions.
It was only natural in this confusing situation. Of course, I wasn't confused.
'It has begun. The kids from the Holy Kingdom will arrive soon.'
That's not all.
The midterm exams get postponed due to political issues.
And before the kids from the Holy Kingdom arrive, there's one more incident.
"The midterm has been postponed. And..."
To reorganize the advanced class.
"We will be having a pop quiz."
--TL Notes--
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