Chapter 51
Hall of Blood.
At that moment, Aquila used mana to draw out the cursed energy inside his body and vomited blood as if he had gone mad.
In the end, he even spat out a handful of black blood.
After witnessing that amount of blood, who could possibly continue enjoying a party?
No matter how thick-skinned those nobles might have been.
They would have known the rumors that Aquila Reschenhardt had a chronic illness, so they would have leaned toward that explanation, but even so, someone must have thought it.
“What if?”
Because no one truly knew how the Curse of Deadly Poison manifested, anxiety would have spread under the lingering thought that perhaps it was that curse.
Not only those who had seen the scene firsthand, but even the nobles who had not witnessed it would have heard the news in one way or another.
And after that……
‘The hall must have been avoided to the point that it could not be used for quite some time.’
Merien Raiesel had ruined her coming-of-age party, and it was certain that from then until the Founding Festival, she had been unable to properly join the endless succession of parties that followed.
At a time when one should have been excited and happy, having just come of age.
‘I am a victim as well, but since others were harmed because I was involved, I cannot even complain about it…… this is driving me mad.’
He was cornered on all sides.
Escaping death itself was one thing, but the repercussions had been so great that having to deal with the aftermath personally was the real problem.
It was like not knowing why water had leaked, yet still having to pay the full price after it flowed out and soaked someone else’s house.
‘Damn it…….’
Aquila swallowed a curse that he rarely ever uttered, even in his own mind.
“……I am deeply ashamed. Still, rumors that the Curse of Deadly Poison can be lifted have begun spreading from the Temple of the Sun, so I believe the hall will be able to return to its original purpose.”
“Oh my. I hope so. We had just canceled a party that we were planning to hold for the Founding Festival.”
“With all the people gathering for the Founding Festival, the news will spread to other cities as well, so I do not think you need to worry about that.”
“That is what my father said as well.”
Merien smiled faintly.
Aquila did not miss the mention of “father” that left her lips.
“Is the head of the house…… not present?”
“My father? Why do you ask?”
“I caused quite a disturbance, so I thought I should offer him an apology as well.”
Merien raised the tip of her eyebrows, looking surprised.
“My father would not mind such a thing. He was startled at first, of course, but since it was a matter of life and death, he actually told me not to act so hastily.”
As she said that, Merien added that it was because of her father’s words that she could not wait any longer.
Even so, if his daughter was distressed, why would he say something like that first?
“If you wished to greet him, he would accept it kindly, but he is not here right now. He has gone to Denimarad.”
“To the capital……?”
Aquila frowned without realizing it.
From the beginning, Aquila’s true purpose in coming here had not been Merien, but to meet Count Raiesel.
Yet he was not here.
“Yes. He had business to attend to, so he left. He will probably return on the day of the Founding Festival.”
“……I see.”
Aquila calculated the time.
There were roughly five days left until the day of the Founding Festival.
Ianpel would finish his prayers and come out in two days, so if Aquila spent three days taking care of Gilesha and the affairs of the Grand Temple, that would suffice.
‘……No. Even if I stay in Portplum until the Founding Festival, the problem is that there is no chance of running into the head of the house by coincidence.’
There was no real point of contact.
This time, he thought that since there was a connection through the young lady of House Raiesel, he would be able to meet him, but who would have thought that he would be in Denimarad now of all times?
‘If an event happens later in Portplum, I can meet him then. Should I wait until that time……?’
Of course, by then, quite some time would have passed since Ark had already left on his journey.
Aquila let out a silent sigh and set his glass down.
“That aside, may I ask why you came here? Or is it something you cannot speak of, since you even brought the temple knights with you?”
“Yes. I do not think I can tell you.”
“It must be urgent and important, then. Important enough for you to forget about me.”
“……It is indeed important.”
Merien, who had been smiling playfully, changed her expression.
“Will you be attending the Founding Festival, by any chance?”
“Well. I am still considering it.”
At those words, she seemed to fall into thought.
Then she glanced around, confirmed that only Aquila’s group and a single one of her maids were present, and added in a lowered voice,
“……If you will still be here until then, I know this is shameless of me, but would you help me?”
“Help, you say?”
At the sudden request, the corner of Aquila’s eyebrow lifted.
“During the one-week holiday created for the Founding Festival, have you ever heard of the market that opens in Portplum?”
“Yes. I am aware of it. They say it is an event held every two years where old items are sold.”
“That is right. Merchants call it the ‘Great Old Dust Release.’ It did not take place last year, so this year it is its turn.”
Merien nodded.
As one could tell from its very straightforward name, the ‘Great Old Dust Release’ was an event where items that had been shoved into warehouses or long fallen out of use were sold.
Originally, before Portplum grew to its current size, it began as an exchange of old items during the Founding Festival, where belongings that showed signs of use but had been cherished were traded.
With the prevailing opinion that something had to be left untouched for at least two years to be considered “old,” the event came to be held only once every two years.
There were many items one had never seen before, as well as many useless ones, but somewhere among them, something valuable was bound to appear.
The name was somewhat amusing, but it was an event with history and tradition.
That was the ‘Great Old Dust Release.’
‘……I had not even been thinking about the Founding Festival this time. I almost would have passed over the Dust Release entirely.’
If he had finished his business at the Grand Temple of Portplum and returned immediately, he would have regretted it.
This year’s ‘Great Old Dust Release’ would surely produce unexpected items as well.
And the items that did not sell at this time would remain, eventually ending up in Ark’s hands when he visited Portplum at the next event.
Maintaining a neutral expression, Aquila lifted his glass.
“I know what it is, but I am not sure my help would be needed there.”
“There is a circular theater in the center of the city. Normally, various performances are held there for travelers passing through Portplum, but during the period when the ‘Great Old Dust Release’ is ongoing, auctions are held there.”
Merien explained in a calm voice.
It was an event specifically prepared to sell items whose value was clear, but which had long since become useless to their owners.
People referred to it as the ‘Old Items Auction,’ in keeping with the name of the Dust Release, but despite the rough-sounding title, many expensive items appeared there.
Anyone could participate as long as they paid, but the entrance fee itself was quite high.
Moreover, since it was not conducted in secrecy, illegal items could not be brought in, and participants had to clearly register their own names.
The duration was the last two days of the week.
It was set for those who attended the Founding Festival in other cities and then came, and because of that, the ‘Old Items Auction’ was called the highlight of the ‘Great Old Dust Release.’
Rather than wandering among street stalls in search of something useful, it was better to attend an auction where items of proven value were put up for sale.
The moment Merien mentioned the ‘Old Items Auction,’ Aquila vaguely realized what her request would be.
And the reason behind it as well.
Even so, he feigned ignorance and replied,
“Yes. And?”
Merien hesitated for a moment.
But her hesitation was brief. After swallowing a breath, she spoke clearly and deliberately.
“……I would like you to lend me your name.”
“My name?”
“Yes. To participate in the auction, one must register under one’s own name. Aliases are not allowed. Only names that can be used for identity verification.”
“And?”
“……However, in the case of nobles with houses, if the representative’s name is registered, the names of companions are not written down. Writing the names of attendants would be pointless, after all.”
At the answer that flowed as if she had prepared it in advance, Aquila tilted his head.
“And borrowing my name there would mean…….”
“You are thinking correctly. If you attend, I was hoping I could take a place as your companion.”
As expected.
That was the only favor she could ask while bringing up the auction.
If it were any other problem, it would have been a matter of funds, but there was no way House Raiesel lacked money.
Aquila narrowed his eyes.
“You intend to exploit a loophole. House Raiesel, that is.”
“Oh my? More nobles use this method than you might think. It is simply overlooked.”
It was a brazen attitude, but she was correct.
Nobles who did not want to casually leave their names behind used this method.
And Aquila himself had encountered someone there before whose name was not listed among the participants.
“Did you call me here for the sake of this request?”
“No, that was not it. I truly wanted to see your face. I was the one who invited you to the party, after all, and I saw what happened.”
Then, perhaps thinking that hiding more would be pointless, Merien dropped the pretense and lifted her chin proudly.
“But to be honest…… yes. I cannot say the thought was not there. About half of it was.”
“Half, you say.”
“Are you disappointed?”
There was no reason for Aquila to be disappointed or not disappointed. From the beginning, he had no particular feelings toward her.
Nor was there any reason for such feelings to arise.
After considering how to answer, Aquila decided to be just as honest as Merien had been.
“If it were the former me, perhaps. But now, I do not feel that way much.”
“……That is actually a relief.”
Even as she said that, her lips twitched slightly before she straightened her posture.
“But it is true that I was worried, and that I felt relieved after hearing the news. That was not a lie.”
“Yes. I do not think it was a lie either.”
Aquila’s black eyes and Merien’s green eyes intertwined in midair.
While Merien sat upright, Aquila leaned back against the backrest and swept his hair back with one hand.
“Why do you wish to hide your name and participate in the auction?”
“That…… I cannot say.”
“A secret?”
“Yes. There are many things in this world that one cannot immediately tell others, are there not? You did not say anything either, Aquila.”
Just as Aquila had remained silent under the pretext of family matters, Merien was saying that she would remain silent as well.
Since he had not spoken, she was asking him not to pry further.
However, through the course of their conversation, Aquila had already formed a guess.
‘The Old Items Auction…… I see. This year, then.’
If House Raiesel was waiting for something to appear at the auction while hiding its name at this time, there was only one possible reason.
They were waiting for ‘Quija’s Smile,’ a precious flower that grew only once every few years on the Fields of Quija.
At this time, House Raiesel had been desperate to obtain that flower.
The reason she sought it was simple.
There was an illness that manifested after being bitten by a mineral-eating parasitic insect found in a certain eastern mine.
To cure it, ‘Quija’s Smile’ was required.
Merien’s younger brother, the youngest son of House Raiesel, had fallen ill with that disease.