Chapter 93 [Presenting This Hand]
TL : Cnine
ED/PF : Jake1456
Part 1
When they’re returning toward the floor of the hall at the bottom of the stairs after giving their greeting to Satsuki, Rio and Liselotte is being greeted again by the nobles.
The number of people who come is so much, each one of them is finishing their greeting after just a short while.
And then, the swarms of the nobles who is coming is also decreasing little by little.
「Well then, Liselotte-sama. I’ll take my leave then. Please send my regards to your highness duke Cedric-sama」
「Yes, I’ll do so. See you again」
After bidding their farewell, the two of them is leaving the last noble who’s coming at them.
When one part of the wave of nobles ceased, Liselotte sent a fleeting gaze to Rio who’s standing by her side.
「Haruto-sama, have you already finished your business that you have to do toward Satsuki-sama*？ Though you said that you wanted to say something……..」[TL* : in katakana]
She meant that he wanted to talk with Satsuki to the point that he expressed his wish to attend the evening party.
Though in normal situations, someone will think about something important, the Rio of sometime ago is ending his greeting with just a simple exchange.
Despite they was doing a handshake for quite a while, it didn’t look like an action in which he’s unnaturally trying to stretch the conversation, it doesn’t seem that he’s trying to convey something to Satsuki.
When it comes to that, she thinks that Rio has yet to convey something to Satsuki.
Was what Liselotte feels.
Moreover, the resounding of the way Rio called Satsuki’s name which she heard a while ago, just how he――
「To tell the truth, I still have something I’m wishing to tell her. But, just to be able to meet her like this also has it’s own meaning. Thus, maybe I already finished telling her the important matter」
Rio’s replying in a way of speaking as if to confuse the other party.
Liselotte was unable to seize the true meaning behind those words in that moment.
No, maybe she won’t even be able to seen through the true meaning behind those words even if she’s spending her time pondering about it.
Since she is currently overwhelmingly lacking the information to be able to do that.
But, despite unable to put it nicely in the words, she caught something.
Liselotte felt so.
But, now isn’t the right time to be deriving an answer from that.
「Understood.」
Eventually, Liselotte couldn’t even ask more than the first question in this situation.
「If we’re waiting for a while longer, it’s time for a dance. If it’s okay with you, will you dance in the same tune with me at that time？ 」
Liselotte asked with a slightly troubled smile as if to deny that hazy idea.
Normally, the manners for applying for a dance is coming from the male side but, seeing the relationship between the two sides, it doesn’t mean that she’s breaching the manners when the invitation is coming from her.
「Yeah, with pleasure」
Rio’s nodding and replied immediately.
And then, at that time,
「May I have a dance too？」
From behind Rio and facing Liselotte, there was the sound of a greeting by two people.
The daughter of duke Fontaine of Bertram kingdom, Roana.
「This is, Roana-san. Nice to meet you」
Part 2
Liselotte who noticed her earlier is giving a light bow.
「Good evening, Roana-sama」
Rio also turned back and gave his greeting followed by a light bow.
「Yeah, nice to meet you too. Both of you――」
「WHA, Y-YOU！」
Just when Roana’s about to say something, a loud voice was resounding as if covering her voice.
The people in the vicinity’s turning their line of sight to the owner of that voice while wondering “what’s happened”.
Rio and that person―― Stead Euguno, who was looking like he was slightly taken aback.
「W-Why are you in this place？」
Stead was asking Rio with tone full of hostility.
「Even if you ask why, as you can see that I’m participating in this evening party」
Rio’s answering while smiling wryly without even being disturbed by him.
Maybe because it’s affecting his temper, Stead’s expression becomes steep.
「I invited him to this party. Is the answer to your question. Stead Euguno-san」[TL : this is the first time Liselotte’s using -san as suffix for someone on the same rank as her, in short she’s looking down on him]
Liselotte’s explaining the situation to Stead without putting on any air.
Stead’s expression was slightly astonished, and then,
「……… You are？」
He’s asking for Liselotte’s name.
「My apologies for my late introduction. My name is Liselotte Kretia. It’s a pleasure to meet you」
「!!!………………… You’re Liselotte. I was always hearing the rumors about you」
Maybe because he remembered Liselotte’s features following her introduction, Stead has a slightly cramped face.
She’s the only daughter of duke Kretia, the prominent big-shot noble even in Galwark kingdom, the talented woman whose name is resounding in the neighbouring country, the key figure of Galwark kingdom who’s working as the young CEO of Rikka firm――
And then, there’s also the prefectural governor of Almond in which Stead caused a problem sometime ago, she’s also the person in the position to guarantee the effect of the contract which binded with Rio during that trouble.
If someone of her position is inviting Rio in this evening party, at least the two of them have some kind of solid relationship.
Even for Stead, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t understand it’s meaning.
「Though it seems that you two have never met, is Haruto-san an acquaintance of Stead-kun？」
So, Roana who is left on the side asked to them as she grasped onto something.
「Ah, No, That’s……………… Uhm…………….. That’s……………….」
Part 3
Stead was unintentionally stuttered as he can’t explain the truth of the situation.
「Maybe you can say that they’re an acquaintance. Though I can’t say it loudly, there was a little trouble between them sometime ago in Almond. Haruto-sama’s the victim. At that time, Rikka firm was acting as the mediator for the reconciliation contract between the two party. Due to that chance, I had a chance to become closer to Haruto-sama」
Liselotte was giving a simple explanation to Roana regarding the event of that time as she feels that it’ll cause trouble if the explanation is coming from Rio.
「What are you doing during such an important time…………… Because of that, do you have something for your excuse？ 」
Roana was asking to Stead while pouring at him her undisguised line of sight which was filled with astonishment and disdain.
「KUH…………….」
Stead is hanging down his head as if embarassed while clenching his fist.
With that reaction, Roana made a conclusion that Stead was at fault in those events.
「My deepest apologies. My acquaintance has brought trouble upon you」
Thereupon, after sighing shortly as if troubled with it, Roana decided to apologize to Rio after ascertaining the truth.
Seeing that Rikka firm becoming the witness of the reconciliation, she doesn’t want to put a doubt in all case, it’s not a good plan to give a bad impression of Rio who’s the benefactor of Liselotte and it’s to protect Stead who’s coming along with her.
「It’s nothing, that matter already settled. It’s not a problem since I received the protection from the contract」
Rio replied while gently shaking his head.
When he tells a digest of the content of the contract, it then becomes―― The prohibition of any kind of interference thereafter from Stead’s side in regards to not ask indirectly or directly about the people who’s related to Rio, the victim’s side.
When it comes to explaining it arbitarily, you can say that it’ll be a breach of the contract just by approaching Rio, though unexpectedly, one could say that an accidental meeting like this is barely stepping into the grey zone.
Though if given a choice, Rio didn’t want to have another meeting with Stead, this kind of meeting just like this case is an act of god, in case Stead is being obedient, Rio didn’t even feel like blaming or threatening him with that event sometime ago.
That’s already a trivial matter to him―― or so, As long as the other party over there didn’t try to harm Miharu and co.
「I’m really sorry for that. Please let me offer my sincere apology. Stead, you must also apologize once again to this person by yourself」
Roana said that while still bowing herself.
Stead is wearing an absolutely discontent expression on his face.
「Na! Why must I to this guy！ The contract is already made, that matter is finished you know!」
Stead is objecting as if screaming.
Part 4
「It’s not that kind of problem. If there’s a fault in you, your attitude just now is not something praiseworthy at all. On top of that, please apologize right now if you don’t want to pile another shame to the previous one」
Roana’s saying that after letting out a big sigh.
Stead’s body is trembling at those words as he creased his eyebrows in discomfort.
He appears to not be complying to Roana’s words by becoming emotional.
Just like that, Stead is recalled of those times further powering his wrath.
「I already don’t care about those matters. Please just pardon him for that much, Roana-sama」
Being unable to watch those two, Rio’s admonished Roana.
「…………. YOU……………….」
Stead was glaring with a piercing gaze at Rio. ス
Maybe he never felt a disgrace of being protected by the opponent to whom he didn’t want to apologize to.
Even for Rio, though it doesn’t mean that he can’t guess his opponent’s line of thought, before they noticed, Rio and co have gathered the attention of the people in their surrounding.
Their in full sight to the people who’s looking at their direction with a truly interested expression.
Maybe making a big commotion more than this will put them in a slightly hard situation.
「That’s so right. My apologies for waiting. My gratitude」
Maybe because she perceived the atmosphere of their surrounding, even Roana decided to stop any further action of her urging Stead to apologize.
Just like that, she’s bowing deeply toward Rio again.
「I wonder what just happened？ 」
There was people who’s coming out of the crowd in their surrounding toward their place.
Gustave Euguno is giving his greeting to Rio and co as their leader.
「Ah, F-Fathe……………………」
The moment he discovered his own father, Stead expression is getting even worse.
「Would you tell me what just happened in this place, Roana-kun？」
After giving a cold piercing glance to Stead whose expression became paler, duke Euguno was asking that question to Roana.
「Though I don’t know the full detail of the situation, it seems that somehow Stead-kun caused trouble for him the last time they met. Despite my urging to apologizing to him, Stead-kun kept refusing…………..」
Roana’s replying as if troubled by Stead’s action.
「It’s the matter in Almond restaurant. Your highness duke Euguno」
So, Liselotte told duke Euguno.
With that, maybe because he instantly understood the situation.
「I see. So it was about that. This is the fault of my stupid son. My apologies for what he said to Haruto-kun」
Part 5
Duke Euguno was immediately apologizing to Rio.
「It’s nothing, since I don’t care about that anymore」
Though he replied with smile on his face, Rio’s winced back deep in his mind to the unexpected development.
Though he honestly doesn’t want to have anything to do with the people of Bertram kingdom ever again, he’s experienced a series of meeting with the people of Bertram kingdom since a while ago.
Moreover, all of them is the big-shot people.
「Stead. Don’t make me embarrassed. It was something that you must do. Apologize right now」
Without even looking at his own child, duke Euguno said that with a cold tone.
Stead body is trembling.
「I-I’ve troubled you sometime ago………………..」
A while later, Stead was muttering those words with a shrill voice.
「…………….. My deepest apology」
And then, after speaking words of apology with great difficulties, Stead is bowing deeply to him.
It’s by no means in front of a few people in their surrounding.
Though Rio doesn’t know and don’t even care about Stead’s personality, maybe it’s a disgrace for him.
「Ye, yes. It’s okay as long as you don’t do such kind of action again with accordance to the contract」
Rio’s gentle shaking his head while having a slightly cramped smile.
As expected, he came to feel pity to Stead whose figure is truly miserable right now.
「I felt that I want him to properly apologize to you. If it’s good with you, I’ll prepare a good place for him to apologize again」
On the side of his own son who’s bowing at Rio, duke Euguno said those words while letting out an unfathomable smile which makes one wonder what he’s thinking about.
「No, you don’t need to do that. Since your highness is also busy himself」
Rio didn’t accept that suggestion even if it’s just a lip service.
Since he doesn’t even know what will happen if he’s entering an area which is prepared by his opponent.
Though Rio can’t imagine that there might be a plan to get rid of Rio and the annoying contract which binds his son, or he might be trying to soliciting or using the basis in his connection to Liselotte, at any rate, his purpose might be not really to apologize.
If it’s necessary aside, Rio didn’t have that kind of adventurous spirit to the point of having a connection to them because the thrill of horror the more he was looking at it.
「Fumu. Well, it’s because we’re in the position to make an apology right. So I won’t force you. I’m just coming out with that idea. By the way, it’ll be the time of dance soon right. If it’s okay with you, please come to dance with the daughter of our country later. Even those girl will be delighted if they can dance with a man of your caliber」
Without even tenaciously opposing his rejection, duke Euguno easily changed the topic.
Though Rio felt slightly anticlimactic, still there’s no need to say troublesome words of rejection.