Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 14: Banquet

Chapter 14: Banquet

“Hey, boy! I heard it! You protected For with that left arm!”

At the banquet held in Rougvelt.

I was being harassed by a drunken Greg, who was crying uncontrollably.

“Don’t come near me. You reek of alcohol.”

“As I thought, I can entrust Fol to you. Despite her rough demeanor, she has the same good qualities as my deceased wife. Please make her happy.”

“Fol! Your father is saying strange things, do something about it!”

Just as Fol, who had just returned with some fish dishes, approached, I sought her help.

“Father has always been a drunkard. Don’t mind him, it’s nothing new.”

“He’s saying things about you becoming my bride.”

“What, aren’t you willing to take me? We’ve slept together already, haven’t we?”

Fol laughed mischievously.

Her bombshell-like statement caused the surrounding residents to cheer.

The scattered dark knights around us, recognizable even from beneath their full-face helmets, widened their eyes and stared at us.

“Damn…”

I must remember to silence them later, or it’ll be troublesome.

If word gets back to my father that I slept with a commoner’s daughter, it will cause various problems to arise.

“Fol, you…”

Fol’s cheeks were as flushed as Greg’s.

“…You’ve been drinking.”

“It’s a celebration, of course I’m drinking. Rofus, you should drink too, can you handle wine?”

“Who would drink that? I’m also still underage, you know?”

“What a lousy excuse. Considering that, I probably won’t become a real woman by next year, eh?”

“Aren’t you underage too? You seem to have inherited your father’s bad drinking habits.”

Fol, pushing aside Greg who had been pestering me, and leaned on me as if giving herself to me.

She was pressing her chest against me.

Where’s the modest clothes she always has worn?

It seems she doesn’t intend to hide the fact that she’s a woman anymore.

“You’re too close.”

“Rofus, take back what you said about me looking like my father.”

“Just stay away.”

“Hey, how’s it going?”

Next came Log, holding a wooden jug in one hand and followed by a group of young men, who approached us.

Log smiled faintly at Fol, who was leaning against me, and raised his own jug (of course, I won’t drink) to the jug of wine on my table, then drank his ale in one gulp and said a word.

“Boy, I’d be more pleased if you called me brother-in-law rather than just a stranger.”

The young men behind him erupted in cheers.

Don’t shout things like “brother-in-law,” in my presence, you guys are going too far.

“You, you’re still the same even when you’re drunk.”

I sighed, tired of dealing with the drunks.

Honestly, this is the first time it’s been this lively.

Parties hosted by high-ranking nobles are extravagant and lively, but they’re not usually this noisy.

The village banquet is still ongoing.

Outside Rougvelt.

Near the hill overlooking the home of the head sailor.

There stood an old butler, Carlos, who was watching the banquet in Rougvelt from afar.

Carlos, the chief butler of the Lightless family.

Even from this distance, Rofus’s figure was clearly reflected in Carlos’s eyes.

Thanks to his magical eyesight, Carlos’s vision had improved significantly, allowing him to see far into the distance.

He smiled as if watching his own grandchild as he watched Rofus, who was being taken to the banquet.

Suddenly, a dark knight appeared silently from behind Carlos’s shadow.

Removing his full-face helmet, he revealed his long white hair.

It was Alba, the chief of the dark knights.

Alba stood beside Carlos and looked at Rofus, who was sitting at the banquet.

“I can’t believe the young master would attend a commoner’s banquet…”

Although Alba usually didn’t show emotions, he couldn’t hide his surprise this time.

Carlos nodded quietly.

“Yes. In the past few days, the young master has changed a lot. He seems to be particularly fond of that girl named Fol.”

“That commoner girl… I felt strangely close to her. Could it be because they’re in a relationship?”

“At least they deny it themselves. Personally, I don’t think there’s anything between them. Besides, it’s too early for the young master to have such a relationship.”

“We can’t be sure. At 12 years old, depending on the family, it wouldn’t be strange if he was already engaged by now..”

“…Even if that was the case, the young master currently has no official fiancée, so it shouldn’t be a big problem anyway.”

“No, if that were to happen, it could strain the relationship with the Vermei Marquis family.”

Carlos seemed to ponder Alba’s words slightly.

“The Vermei Marquis family… Ah, you mean the arrangement where the young master would marry a daughter from the Vermei family before he comes of age. There are three years left until the deadline, and besides, that’s more of a formality… Excuse me. Alba, you have some connection to the Vermei Marquis family, don’t you? Are you worried about that?”

“No, I’m just a branch member of the Vermei family. Besides, I am now loyal to the Lightless family.”

Carlos lowered his eyes quietly and changed the subject.

“By the way, how are your injuries? You must have been severely injured by the young master.”

The armor Alba is currently wearing is a spare, and there are no longer any holes in his body from Rofus’s attacks earlier. 

However, the wounds have not fully healed yet, and Alba’s abdomen should still be hurting.

But Alba doesn’t mention it.

“Everything’s fine. You must have been searching for the young master tirelessly last night. Why don’t you get some rest now? I’ll take responsibility for the young master’s protection if necessary.”

“Is Alba going to protect the young master? The young master seems quite annoyed by you, but can you handle it?”

“…”

Both of them narrowed their eyes and tension filled the air.

“By the way, Carlos. I received a report from my subordinates that the young master was severely injured. Even after receiving treatment, his left eye’s vision hasn’t fully returned, and his left arm is still missing.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Carlos lowered his eyes and said nothing.

“…As someone like you who was tasked to stay by his side, how do you plan to take responsibility for this failure, this disgrace to your master? What punishment do you intend to take?”

“I will report everything to the lord. I will follow the lord’s orders. Of course, if the lord desires it, I am prepared to accept any punishment.”

“I know of your achievements, but you are old. Why not retire?”

“I also wish to retire, but the young master declared that I am not allowed to retire just yet.”

“…”

Alba, who usually doesn’t show emotions, glares at Carlos with annoyance.

Carlos chuckled as if amused.

“Alba, you can’t hide your irritation. You’re still young. With just you, you can’t control either the Lightless family or Rofus-sama.”

“!? W-what… I’m not…”

“Don’t be flustered there. You can’t even make excuses for being suspected of rebellion.”

“Ugh…”

Annoyed, Alba steps back.

Carlos, looking exasperated, points it out with his cigar.

“Your face.”

“Ugh…”

Alba hurriedly hides his expression and puts on a poker face.

Seeing this, Carlos sighed.

“You’re so eager to become the Rofus-sama’s attendant…”

“…”

“Rest assured, this will be a very busy night.”

Alba furrowed his brow in puzzlement.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, most of us haven’t had the time to rest for the past few days, so tonight might probably be the same too.”

Alba raised his eyebrows, unable to understand what Carlos was saying.

As the moon rose and darkness enveloped the night.

The Rougvelt banquet was over, and the drunken sailors, except for Log, who was surprisingly sober, were each carried to their homes by the dark knights at Rofus’s command.

Log, who was carrying the snoring Greig, looked surprised.

“What, are you carrying them both?”

“Even you wouldn’t be able to carry two.”

“No… Well, yeah, I guess so. Thanks.”

It would be easy for the large Log to support the weight of two people.

Especially if one of them is just the petite Fol.

But saying it now would be tactless.

“What about you, boy?”

Log asked me without any context, and Rofus frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s about Fol. Surely you’ve noticed?”

“…”

Log’s reference was to Fol’s affection for me.

If you look at Fol’s attitude towards me, anyone can sense her hidden feelings.

Of course, Rofus also felt it.

“Whether I notice it or not, she doesn’t seem intent on hiding it.”

“Heh, well, that’s true. As her brother, it’s embarrassing to watch her try to show her affection.”

Log laughed heartily, and Rofus replied in a flat voice.

“What should I do?”

“As her brother, the only thing I can say is, you should answer the feelings of my cute little sister.”

“…You’re just an ignorant commoner. In society, that’s called being presumptuous. Remember that.”

“…Is it a shame for Fol’s first love had to end with a heartbreak? She might cry…”

“Let her cry. From the beginning, the worlds Fol and I live in are different.”

“Is that so? I thought noble folks like you were more selfish and free-spirited…”

“…Don’t talk as if you know.”

Rofus spat out irritably.

To Log, Rofus’s attempt to intimidate those around him and desperately protect himself seemed like that of a child bound by the rules of aristocratic society.

His attempts to intimidate those around him with strong words and desperately protect himself seemed childish, even pitiable.

Fol, who had stopped snoring without anyone noticing, slightly bit her lower lip, as if chewing on something.

Even Log, who was carrying her, didn’t notice it.

Usually, nobles wouldn’t carry commoners or even sleep with them.

This is something Rofus, who was a few days ago, would never have done.

Watching Rofus’s change from afar with a smile of approval was the old butler Carlos.

In contrast, Alba, the chief of the dark knights, who stood behind him, stared at Rofus and Fol with a somewhat expressionless gaze.

As their respective schemes intersect, the night deepens.