Chapter 414 – Chapter 414 Magic School Shutra (3-25)
‘Wow… Is this Evande?’
At first, I thought of myself.
No matter how big the duke’s mansion was, he was confident that if he had stealth and sleep, he would be able to sneak in.
But now that I’ve come and looked at it secretly, I can realize that it wasn’t confidence, it was arrogance.
[The level of the guards is not high, but it doesn’t seem easy to completely hide yourself with Suho’s ability.]
The guards themselves had the confidence to sneak in and annihilate them.
But my goal now is to sneak into Karin’s room without getting caught.
The moment you get caught even once, the opportunity is like completely blown away.
Even if my identity is not revealed, the moment someone intrudes into the duke’s house is known, the vigilance will be incomparably stricter than it is now.
‘Shall I raise the stealth level?’
[I do not recommend. Even if you raise it, you won’t be able to raise it by much, and there’s no guarantee that that figure will bring out good efficiency right now.]
The ability itself has to be raised someday, so it’s not a loss.
However, if the effect is negligible and the possibility of infiltrating does not increase, there is no need to shake off Enel.
[There is a good way.]
‘?’
[This is with the help of Lena and Beatrice.]
The plan Armonia presented was like this.
If it was the mansion of the Duke of Brandtrup, the security route and time would have been set.
It was a story that Lena and Beatrice sneak in and get a complete picture of the inside, and then, when it’s perfect to some extent, I sneak in.
And one more goal.
‘Let’s find out where the duchess is! I’m going to sleep with my husband anyway….’
[… All right.]
I want to know the duke’s room. Duke’s room….
First of all, a woman related to Louis… No, I wanted to know all about humans.
And if you do….
[Mr. Lena and Ms. Beatrice won’t be caught easily, and even if they are caught, there is a high possibility that the guards will think they saw something in vain and go over if they are summoned well through the warp.]
On top of that, if you wear a cloak that reduces perception, there is a high possibility that you will know that it is a ghost at first glance.
‘Then let’s do that.’
Also, safety is first.
..
..
The next morning, I heard an interesting story from Luna.
“A mask welcome party?”
“Yes, I said that if I go to the reception for the dean at the royal palace this time, it will be held.”
It was understandable to wear a mask and have a welcome party. But why?
“Why are you wearing a mask?”
“Originally called the Masquerade Banquet, there is a banquet held once a year for unmarried young nobles.”
The masquerade banquet was an event hosted by the royal palace every spring, inviting all unmarried young nobles in Levin to create a meeting place for them.
Everyone entering the banquet hall was given the opportunity to wear a mask that suited them and to have a conversation while hiding their identity.
For example, a male aristocrat with no land or property boasts of his knowledge and appeals to the children of other high-ranking nobles, and a young lady who has not received attention covers her face and charms another male aristocrat with her skill in speaking and concludes a marriage. Said there was
But it was amazing.
The sons of some high-ranking nobles are already known to some extent.
No matter how much you wear a mask, it will be difficult to completely hide your body shape or voice.
I wondered if the intention of the masquerade banquet would fade if all nobles who needed a chance clung to the sons of high-ranking nobles.
However, that banquet was different from other banquets.
“The court wizards step in and change their appearance and voice with magic.”
“Ah….”
As much as the royal palace supervised, the court magicians were put in to conduct the banquet.
For example, if you put on a Duke mask, the person’s face changes to look like a Duke and their voice is altered, so it is difficult to tell them apart.
Speaking of that, the welcome party….
“I heard that everyone wears a mask to the banquet. Even His Majesty, without exception.”
“… But does that magic work on the dean?”
In the first place, I wondered if this question itself was meaningful.
I don’t know how good the court mage is, but I don’t think it will work for Sonya, let alone the dean….
Luna answered while shaking her head.
“Of course, it doesn’t work for the dean. The important thing is that it is a banquet that shows that everyone is equal except for the dean.”
“Wow….”
I don’t know much about Levin’s king, but I thought it was an incredibly big decision to hold a banquet.
Ifheheld a banquet in a way that showed that he was an ordinary human being in front of the dean, it would not have been the banquet proposed by the ministers under him.
Who will say that we are crazy and want to throw an equal banquet in front of the king….
It was no different from saying back that the family wanted to be destroyed.
Luna began to explain to me how the welcome party would go.
“Once invited, all you have to do is wait in your own home. Then there will come a single-seater carriage that everyone in the royal family can ride separately.”
It was said that even if Luna and I were together, two wagons would come.
And since we were officially staying at the duke’s house, a number of carriages, including the Brandrup family, were arriving.
Each person gets on a single-seater carriage, wears a mask of their choice, and waits in the waiting room prepared by the royal family while wearing the mask.
After waiting like that, when the banquet starts, slowly enter the banquet hall and proceed with the welcome party according to the procedure.
“Basically, the things to be careful of are the same as for a masked banquet.”
The Mask Banquet pursues free conversation without any hierarchy.
However, there are caveats.
Never look ill at another family or person. This is because there is a risk of trouble if the person involved is next to you.
It seems so obvious, but there are some nobles who sometimes wear masks and say crazy things, so the royal family explained that it was a caution.
“It is a characteristic of a masquerade banquet that a small mistake is quietly overlooked.”
“What if I make a really big mistake?”
“Then you can leave right away.”
The masked banquet was prepared for an opportunity, so it was tolerant of mistakes.
The characteristic of the masked banquet is that after the banquet is over, each other takes off their masks to confirm who they are.
However, if you make a big mistake and come to a situation where you shouldn’t take off your mask, you can quickly get out and hide your identity before the banquet ends.
It was also a rule set by the royal family.
It also meant that it was not polite to forcibly hold on to those who were leaving.
“First of all, the same rules apply to the mask reception held this time.”
“But I am worried.”
“Which one?”
“I don’t know if the dean will attend.”
He was a nobleman who did not even attend the banquet hosted by Count Potts.
If the dean did not appear at the place prepared by the King of Levin while humbled, the position of the King would be very difficult.
Not just at the level of being embarrassed in the country, but rumors will spread all over the continent.
But Luna shook her head and smiled.
“She was contacted by Professor Sonya, and she said she was fortunate to attend.”
“I’m glad.”
But… No matter how much the dean is at his own pace, it must have been a bit of a stretch to ignore him after accepting a welcome like yesterday.
In the case of Count Potts’ banquet, the Countess had no intention of sleeping in the first place, but it was a case that they provided on their own.
On the other hand, in the case of the Levin Palace, I thought it was to be treated with respect as the original destination was Levin.
“By the way, as a rule, from the moment you board a carriage for one person to the time you enter the banquet, you are not allowed to talk to other people even if you see them.”
Then, while under the influence of magic in the waiting room, he entered the banquet hall.
Luna said to me with a bittersweet smile.
“Maybe… If you enter the banquet hall, you won’t recognize me either.”
“A… Do you think you can find something?”
“You will never find it? The court mages aren’t as good as the professor, but they’re the ones who graduated at the top of Stra. They are very talented people.”
“What if you find it?”
Luna looked at me in a funny way and laughed.
“If you find me, I will grant you one wish. Instead… Conversely, if I find it, Mr. Suho, please listen to me.”
I said with a smile inside.
“Welcome to the mask… Looking forward to it.”
..
..
Shortly after sunset, seven carriages began to line up in front of the entrance to the iron gate of the duke’s house.
And in front of the iron gate, people who were ready to board the carriage stood in a row.
Starting with the people of the Duke of Brandtrup, Luna and I… And….
“Enjoy the welcome party without looking at me.”
“… Yes.”
Jeff was looking at me and frowning.
While laughing at Jeff’s expression, Duke Brandrup spoke solemnly.
“Okay then let’s go.”
“Yes.”
It started with Duke Brandtrup getting into the carriage, and everyone followed and started getting into the carriage.
The shape of the carriage was so identical that it was difficult to tell who was riding it.
As we boarded the carriage, the coachman in front of us turned his head and began briefly explaining to me.
“The mask is ready in a box next to it. There are many types, so you can choose the one you like and wear it right away. As a rule, once you put it on, you can’t take it off until the welcome party is over.”
“Yes.”
With my answer, the carriage slowly started to depart.
I opened the brown-covered wooden box and began to check the mask.
The mask basically adopted the form of an animal.
And the majority of them were masks in the form of birds and mammals.
‘What shall I wear? Birds? Mammalia?’
[Personally, I think the tide suits me. I also think birds of prey are good.]
‘Five…. Why?’
[There is no particular reason.]
‘What… Birds of prey are cool.’
Unless it’s something like a bald eagle, I usually hit more than average.
But when I thought about it, there was another problem with the cool tide.
‘Won’t most of them pick out something cool and put it on?’
I don’t like to bounce.
However, it seems that everyone will come to wear an eagle, but I wondered if it would be too buried if I stood as an eagle again.
As I was rummaging through the box, a mask that caught my eye came in.
‘Five… I wish this What do you think?’
[… It seems like the best option for the next best thing.]
It seems that he wanted me to choose an eagle, but he decided to pass because he was sure that a dog or a cow would like it.
I picked up the mask I had chosen, carefully put it on, and waited with my eyes closed until I arrived at the palace.
After that time passed, the carriage arrived at the palace, and the coachman who stopped the carriage started giving a final explanation.
“Get off and we will guide you. As a rule, please refrain from talking. I wish you a pleasant banquet.”
I nodded and said hello, then got off and started to be guided by the maid who was waiting in front of the carriage.
Many people around me were moving while being guided like me.
The maid guided me to the waiting room and explained the banquet as quietly as possible so that no one else could hear.
I was just listening to the story I had already heard from Luna.
After listening to the explanation, I arrived at my exclusive waiting room before I knew it.
“If you are waiting here, the court mages will cast their magic in a while. Then, your body shape and voice will be altered to match the mask, so you can enter after confirming your appearance.”
I nodded and went into the waiting room and sat down on a chair to wait.
As I waited awkwardly in the waiting room alone, my vision suddenly began to fluctuate.
‘Did it start?’
I headed to the mirror hanging in the waiting room with high expectations.
I looked at myself in the mirror with curious eyes while touching my face assimilated with the mask with the palm of my hand.
‘Five… This is really amazing.’
The disparate mask I had worn earlier had changed and turned into a real animal.
Even the amazing thing was that the costume was changed to match the mask.
I looked at myself with unfamiliar eyes and asked through the communication.
‘Suited?’
[Than you think….]
‘Than you think?’
Armonia took a break and put the line in her mouth.
[I think it’s okay because it’s a mask that has a strong impression.]
Armonia looked at the mirror happily while listening to the compliment.
‘I’m glad.’
My reflection in front of the mirror had the face of an owl with a strong impression with sharp eyes.
