81 – Unexpected Big Hit

Before entering the Imperial Mansion.

Before I parted ways with Daon, I approached him and took some gold coins from my bosom and handed them to him.

“The most comfortable carriage I have ever ridden.”

Unlike ordinary coachmen, Daon is a skilled coachman hired directly by the imperial family.

The wagons and horses provided by the imperial family may be special, but it is also very difficult to handle the equipment skillfully.

And if you can get acquainted with him who works in the imperial family, a few gold coins are very cheap.

Of course, it was the most satisfying carriage among all the carriages she had ever ridden, so even if he wasn’t the royal coachman, he would have paid for his trouble.

Daon stared blankly at my hand that handed me the gold coin, then let out a small laugh.

“…… hahahaha. I have already received the transportation fee from the princess. You do not have to pay me.”

“This is a gift from me simply because I am satisfied with the wagon. Have some delicious food on the way back.”

But seeing Daon still not responding to that, I grabbed his hand and placed a gold coin on top of his hand.

Anyway, the reaction seemed like he shouldn’t receive money separately, but if I handed it to him directly like this, you could say that he couldn’t help it either.

And, perhaps understanding my meaning, Daon put a gold coin in his pocket and calmly nodded his head.

“Thank you. Marquis. I hope we will have another chance to meet again.”

“I feel the same way.”

I shook hands with him lightly before parting. And he moved his feet towards the people waiting in front of the door.

‘The reaction is weirder than I thought.’

I have given many tips to others, and most of them have responded similarly.

Those who are startled by an unexpected tip, shake their heads saying they can’t get this kind of money, or smile contentedly when they receive money.

However, Daon’s reaction a moment ago was different from the three above, and was a first-time reaction.

He looks surprised at the unexpected tip, but his look at the gold coin in his hand was close to his face of interest.

‘Haven’t you ever received tips from other nobles?’

If you’re a coachman of that level, you might get tips from quite a few people.

The nobility in this world seem to be more cheesy than I expected.

I arrived right in front of the party, thinking to myself, and arrived at the door of the mansion.

Then the two guards standing guard there ask me in a firm tone.

“What business are you here for?”

“I came after receiving a letter from Princess Helena.”

I took out her letter from her arms and showed it to her guard.

The eyes of those who started to check the letter I handed over opened wide at the moment. And with a loud voice different from just before, he bows to me and greets me.

“Sorry I didn’t recognize you! Marquis!”

“I’ll take you right inside!”

I knew that Helena had invited me, but I looked embarrassed because I was different from what I remembered.

Well, I didn’t really blame them because they had changed so much that they couldn’t recognize them.

Kikiiik.

As the guards quickly opened the door, the spacious mansion of the imperial family came into view.

“Wow… ….”

Having visited quite a few mansions so far, I thought I wouldn’t be surprised anymore, but the moment I saw the imperial residence, admiration jumped out without my knowledge.

“Awesome.”

“…… It is the first time I have seen such a luxurious mansion.”

Allin and Rayman were also mesmerized by the imperial residence, which was on a different level from the ones they had visited so far.

Only Fenia stood there without any reaction, as if she was used to it.

As we looked around the mansion, which was plastered with precious jewels and gold wherever we turned, a man who appeared to be a butler approached us.

“Meet Marquis Rail, Archmage Fenia, and his companions. The princess is waiting for the marquis. Please follow me.”

With a nod, the butler politely moved us into the room.

Since the mansion is large, the corridor leading to the room was also quite long.

And thanks to the paintings and ornaments hanging in the hallway, I was able to walk through the wide hallway without getting bored.

Just like that, the butler’s footsteps, which had been walking down the hallway for quite a while longer than expected, came to a sudden stop.

The butler knocked lightly on the door twice, opened it slightly, and told us.

“The princess is waiting inside.”

“Thanks for the guidance.”

The butler bowed with a smile and opened the door completely, and we stepped into the open door.

As I went inside without hesitation, what I saw was three red chairs in front of me and a huge throne above them.

Then a woman sitting on the three chairs in front of us met her eyes and opened her mouth with a smile.

“You came earlier than expected. Marquis of Rail.”

“… I thought it was for the whole continent, so I came straight away. Princess Helena.”

Are my answers satisfactory?

Helena looked at me and raised the corner of her mouth.

But I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her smile.

“Are you the Marquis of Rail that Helena talked about? Contrary to rumors, it looks quite sleek.”

I raised my head slightly to where the voice came from.

Not the three chairs Helena was sitting on, but the man who was sitting on a huge throne directly above them.

The first person on the continent, and the emperor who currently rules the continent. Louis Le Silvest was there looking at me.

“It is a great honor to meet the Emperor.”

As I quickly got down on one knee to show my respect, Aline and Rayman, who were standing next to me, also quickly got down on one knee.

Fenia looked at us like that and she let out a short sigh, then she lightly showed her courtesy.

If it had been done by someone else, it would have been a disrespectful greeting, but the emperor nodded his head as if he was accustomed to it.

“Get up from your seat.”

“Thank you.”

At his words, I slowly got up from my seat.

And he looked at the throne in silence, not showing any embarrassment as much as possible.

‘Why is the emperor here?’

Obviously, in the original work, when Helena called Lila, only Helena was sitting there.

However, for some reason, I was taken aback when the emperor, who had only been mentioned a few times in the original work and never appeared in person, appeared.

But that wasn’t the only thing I couldn’t understand.

‘Why is he over there again?’

I slightly lowered my gaze from the throne.

Then I passed Helena, who was sitting on the far left of the three middle ones, and looked at the woman sitting in the chair to her right, staring blankly at us.

Claire Le Silvest.

She was Hellana’s little sister, a kind of Aline, an unpredictable woman who didn’t even give her attention unless she was interested.

Did you read my thoughts like that?

Helena, who had been watching us quietly, opened her mouth slowly.

“You seem quite embarrassed because you didn’t tell me that you have a father and an older sister. Marquis.”

“Yes. It’s a little embarrassing.”

I spoke honestly about my feelings.

Those who lived in the imperial family and only heard word of mouth preferred honest words rather than formal ones.

“Whoa.”

As expected, the emperor who was sitting on the throne, caressing his beard, opened his mouth.

“As you said, he is quite an interesting guy.”

“Yes. I thought my father would like it too.”

The two nodded lightly as they exchanged conversations.

Then Helena turned her head and opened her mouth with a smile.

“The plan is that Sofia also wanted to show her marquise appearance, but she left without saying a word. I’m sorry. Marquis.”

I met Helena’s eyes without speaking.

‘It’s fortunate that Sophia isn’t here.’

Sofia Le Silvest.

She is Helena’s eldest sister, and she is the most likely candidate among the candidates for the next emperor.

If you ask how mischievous she was, Aline, whose expression barely changes, could not stand her pranks and words and ran out with her face distorted.

Sophia was glad she wasn’t here, when the door we entered slowly opened.

The one who opened the door and walked in without knocking was a familiar face.

That’s also true, because he was a coachman who pulled a carriage from the mansion to the imperial family a while ago.

“Daon?”

But at my call, Daon just smiled and passed me by.

Ttogak. Again.

And Daon, who passed us without hesitation, walked towards Helena.

The appearance was the same as that of a normal coachman, but for some reason his gait felt elegant.

Daon met Helena’s eyes, smiled slightly, and then he sat down in the middle seat, which was the seat of honor.

Everyone was so surprised by his sudden and unexpected behavior that they looked at Daon who sat in the center without saying anything.

Daon, who made eye contact with us, lightly snapped his fingers.

Then his short hair began to grow and fell down to his waist, and his black hair began to grow darker and red like a rose.

The wrinkled face gradually changed to pure white fair skin, and the face and body shape also completely changed.

A woman with red long hair met her eyes with me and she smiled and opened her mouth.

“I don’t know how many years it has been since I received money from someone else. Sorry for cheating marquis. But it was the first time Helena had ever spoken of a man, so she couldn’t help it.”

“… ….”

But I couldn’t say anything to her.

Still, sitting in her center, she spoke again, if she still had something to say.

“This is Sophia Le Silvest. Nice to meet you.”

Sofia greeted me with a smile, as if meeting a friend from her hometown after a long absence, but somehow her face didn’t smile.

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