I apologize for being late again. (sweat)
I never imagined I’d be in a position to entertain at a party. Back in my corporate slave days, the most I ever did was organize a drinking party.
While I never planned anything as grand as a party during my days as a corporate slave, I have received training from the instructors and Evia. And I have, in fact, participated in parties and gained practical experience.
“Welcome, please enjoy yourselves today.”
I’m still not used to the tension that’s different from battle.
This is the party venue attached to the mansion. The building itself was constructed specifically for parties. It’s a building with a considerable investment, and its interior is luxurious and splendid. There’s a kitchen space and a facility to store alcohol, much like a wine cellar. And a waiting room for the orchestra.
I wondered if it wouldn’t be acceptable to play BGM from a CD, but as someone who’s been taught that preparing an orchestra is a way to showcase one’s financial power, I couldn’t not do it. I sighed, thinking that those with status have to put on a good show, but I carefully plastered a mask on my face.
It’s not a fake smile, but maintaining a smile requires quite a bit of facial muscle work.
“Lord Tanaka, thank you for inviting me today. I am Paulback Tromea, bestowed the title of Baron by the Demon Lord.”
Being called “Lord Tanaka” makes my back feel strangely itchy.
“I’ve heard that Lord Tromea has a great fondness for alcohol. Today, we have a variety of our country’s liquors prepared, so please enjoy to your heart’s content.”
“Oh! I had some earlier, but both this wine and this sake called Nihonshu are delicious, and I might end up drinking too much! My wife also said the food was delicious and was very pleased.”
My opponent is, after all, a noble and, by species, a demon. Despite them absolutely being my superior, the fact that they treat me with such respect makes me suspect there must be some ulterior motive. And this is still the better of them.
It’s good that Memoria is handling the merchants, who clearly have their own agendas. I should be praised for not flinching when I was indirectly asked if I could provide a warship while we were exchanging greetings.
“Oh, Lord Tromea, you like Nihonshu? I prefer this plum wine called Umeshu. It’s sweet with a slight tartness. It seems easy enough for women to drink, so it would be nice to share with my wife.”
“Oh! Lord Hard, you prefer Umeshu? I tried that as well; it was rich and full of flavor.”
“I recommend this liquor called Whiskey. Lord Hard’s Umeshu is too sweet for me. But this aroma, and the depth of flavor, how elegant it is!”
“Lord Gilmet, you prefer that one? In that case, we have prepared various types of Whiskey, so please enjoy.”
“Hahahaha! Lord Tanaka, what do you intend to do by getting us drunk! However, you’ve recommended it so kindly that I can’t refuse.”
I was chatting with three nobles surrounding me. Remembering names is quite easy.
Baron Paulback Tromea, who likes Nihonshu. A slightly chubby demon, a baron.
Viscount Dant Hard, who likes Umeshu. A dark elf with a slender and gentle appearance.
Gund Gilmet, a baron who favors Whiskey. Apparently, he has the bloodline of the Dragonkin, called Serpentfolk.
“Please enjoy it to your fullest. We have prepared enough so there will be no problem even if people from the Oni Tribe arrive. If you find anything you like, please tell the butler, and we’ll pack a few bottles for you.”
“Oh!”
“My, my.”
“Hmm, then we must enjoy ourselves even more.”
If it were just about chatting with them while offering them drinks, it would be fine, but…
“Speaking of which, Lord Tanaka, I heard you intend to challenge for the General’s position.”
Here it comes. If the previous conversation was a jab to gauge my character, this is a straight punch to test my mettle. Viscount Hard, swirling the glass of Umeshu, asks me about becoming a general.
“Yes, that’s my intention. I’m currently undergoing rigorous training for it.”
His expression is similar to his gentle demeanor just moments ago, but the atmosphere he exudes is entirely different.
“Indeed, regarding your strength, I’ve heard from Lord Muil. I also inquired about various things, and I heard you repelled a Hero?”
“No, no, I was barely able to resist.”
“You are too modest. Only a handful of the most powerful individuals on this continent can resist a Hero. Merely facing them and surviving is a great feat.”
Are they interested in my strength, or in my resolve to become a general?
“Otherwise, you wouldn’t be receiving rewards from the current generals.”
“That must be what they mean by ‘beyond one’s deserts.’ I was surprised when I received them.”
I could probably continue to deflect their questions evasively, but if asked if that’s a good approach, I’d have to say no. It’s quite difficult to accurately grasp the intent of others. Furthermore, I’ve heard that nobles can easily be trapped if they speak too frankly. Evia has warned me not to speak carelessly, which is frustrating.
Should I try to endure this, waiting for them to bring up a new topic? Or should I cut to the chase?
“Hmph, it seems you don’t particularly enjoy trying to probe each other’s intentions.”
“That question is rather difficult to answer. If I say yes, I’ll sound foolish, and if I say no, it will be perceived that I enjoy such probing. Either answer results in a loss.”
Seeming to have read my attitude, Viscount Hard pressed on. I shrug to feign composure, but I’m unsure if it’s effective.
“Oops, was I being too impertinent? My apologies if I offended you.”
“No, I’m not bothered.”
I’d like to think I’ve navigated this for now, but I doubt they’ll let up their pursuit. Moreover, if there are those who would make demands so boldly, I’d rather refuse them outright. In that regard, I find these individuals to be manageable. Now, how will this situation unfold?
“It might be the quickest way to show you if I actually fight, but unfortunately, I’m enjoying drinks right now, so I might not be able to control my power and it could be dangerous.”
“That’s a pity. I was really hoping to witness your rumored strength.”
“Yes, if Lord Hard says so, it must be magnificent strength.”
“Indeed.”
The nobles feigned disappointment. Being made to act in such unison is definitely troublesome. It makes me feel like I’m being seen as stingy. If only I looked as strong as Instructor Kio, or were as cunning as Instructor Fushio. But this is not the time for wishful thinking. I need to leave at least some impression, even if not enough to completely blow them away. I rack my brain for ideas.
“Well, if you are that disappointed, I suppose I can’t just show you nothing.”
Then, an idea strikes me. I think I can demonstrate my strength without revealing my hand.
“If you’d like, would the rest of you care to join me?”
It would be better if the merchants Memoria is dealing with could also see this. The merchants, who had been waiting for an opportunity, seem to be beaming with a little joy at my invitation.
“Memoria, please entertain the ladies. What I’m about to show might be a bit too rough for them.”
Then, as if changing players, I asked Memoria to entertain the ladies and directed her towards Sehas, who was explaining the various dishes being prepared.
“…Understood.”
Memoria stared at me, wondering what I was planning, but when I assured her it was alright, she nodded and went to attend to the ladies.
“Alright, it’s too dangerous here, so let’s move to the garden.”
After all, the Demon Lord’s Army is full of fighters. Whether merchant or noble, not gaining combat experience is unthinkable. So, taking those who seemed eager for a demonstration, I quietly led them out to the garden.
“Now then, what will you show us, Lord Tanaka?”
“Nothing much, I was thinking of giving you a little quiz.”
“Oh, a quiz?”
About twenty meters away from the party venue, as we stopped, Lord Hard asked me what I was going to do. So, with a touch of mischief, I answered and used magic. I cast a simple earth magic, conjuring a rather large rock in the garden.
“Yes, I’m going to cut this rock with my bare hands. I’d like you to guess how many times I cut it.”
“Oh.”
Lord Hard narrowed his eyes. It was a look that seemed to say, “Are you looking down on us?”
“Before that, could you check if this rock has been tampered with?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
This rock is easy to cut. But I thought they wouldn’t believe me if I just said it, so I stepped aside, allowing Lord Hard to examine the rock.
“Hmm, it’s just a normal rock. There doesn’t seem to be any tampering.”
“Understood?”
“Hmm, I understand.”
After staring at it for a while, and then pretending to examine it with a bit of magic, I noticed he used reinforcement magic. However, I couldn’t mention it. If I did, I’d be asked if I couldn’t break through such a barrier. Well, I decided that giving the information that I *could* break through such a barrier was acceptable. The other spectators also seemed to notice. Well, if he did it so openly, it would be obvious.
“Alright, I’ll begin.”
“Yes.”
It’s just a side show, but I felt that I couldn’t leave without making some impression. I decided to put in a little effort. I focused the image of cutting onto my arm. I thought of my arm as a sword, relaxed my body, and stood before the rock.
At that moment, I felt a familiar gaze on my back. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch. Knowing I was being watched, I reignited my resolve not to make a pathetic appearance, and gently refined my magic. With a single breath, I swung my arm. My right arm blurred for a moment.
“Now, how many times did I cut it?”
I turned back, my back against the rock, which showed no change. The attendees began to murmur amongst themselves.
“…”
No one said that I hadn’t cut it, or perhaps they couldn’t? At least, Lord Hard, who was staring intently, didn’t say I hadn’t cut it, so he understood that I had. And it’s only natural. I had, with my bare hands, sliced through the barrier that Lord Hard had prepared. There’s no way Lord Hard, who erected the barrier, wouldn’t understand this. Judging by the resistance, it was a barrier of considerable strength. At least strong enough to be practically useful in battle. I had cut through it in one go, and then sliced the rock several times in rapid succession. Although it appeared unchanged at first glance, the rock was still perfectly intact simply because the speed and sharpness of my cuts were too high.
“Thirteen times.”
The person whose gaze I felt, impatient with the continued murmurs and the inability of anyone to answer, called out from above the party hall’s roof.
“B-Baron Oniō!?”
Turning around and seeing his figure, the attendees gasped, then knelt and bowed their heads.
“Lift your heads. It’s a drinking party right now.”
“Y-Yes.”
Then, the instructor jumped down from the roof, holding three bottles of whiskey, likely borrowed from the warehouse, in one hand, and an opened bottle of Nihonshu in the other.
“Honestly, Jiro, you could have cut through more. Holding back like that.”
“Ah, I thought it was better to keep some of my strength hidden, considering we’ll be fighting again soon.”
“Don’t talk big.”
“It’s thanks to your training that I’ve become capable of this.”
Did they not know about the relationship between me and the instructor? No, it’s more accurate to say they didn’t believe it. It’s quite well-known that I’m a student of Instructor Kio, also known as Oniō Raidou, and Instructor Fushio, also known as Undead King Nōraifu, but the idea of us being on such close terms isn’t widely believed. Even when we drink together, I’m mindful of the surrounding gazes, and the instructors are also considerate of that. People who only hear about it as gossip would find it even harder to believe. They were astonished, like someone tricked by a tanuki, that the rumors were true.
“So, was it correct?”
“You know the answer yourself.”
And without the slightest hint of caring about their reactions, he confirmed the correct answer, as if displeased that he hadn’t been invited to the feast. I turned around, nudged it with my finger, and the slightly maintained balance was disrupted. The rock, cut thirteen times, turned into fragments of rock corresponding to the number of cuts.
“It’s correct.”
“Then I’ll take this sake with me.”
“If you’d like, I can have Sehas prepare some more?”
“Hmph, I just stopped by for a moment.”
“You’re treating it like a coffee shop visit just because you were thirsty?”
Seeing this, the instructor left as if his business was concluded. I don’t ask why the instructor came here; that would be too nosy. Looking at the reactions of the nobles and merchants, the reason for the instructor’s arrival was self-evident. The stated reason was whimsy, but in reality, it was probably a bit of Oni meddling. If I weren’t fit to be a general, the Oni would have struck me down right here. The fact that he didn’t means he’s looking forward to fighting me on the stage. In other words, he showed those present today that I am recognized to fight him, without needing to see me cut a rock like this.
“Look forward to the next feast!”
That’s why I offered my gratitude to the Oni, who gave such a clumsy form of encouragement. I waved goodbye to the Oni, who didn’t look back.
Today’s word:
Once the foundation is in place, you can attempt applications.
That’s all there is to it, repeated.
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