Upon hearing that all five had invited her, Lita scratched her head with a silly grin.
“Huh? So I’m that popular?”
The reason wasn’t hard to guess. The fact that she was about to become his personal knight had already been made known to the public by the King, so it was only natural for these people to try to win her over.
Those first few days after she arrived at the Royal Capital were just like this. However, since she had been busy completing various missions later on, and the important figures couldn’t wait around indefinitely for her to attend their gatherings, the invitations gradually stopped.
“I see. No wonder Lady Cecilia was so eager for me to learn etiquette—she was afraid I’d behave too rudely when meeting them. So by doing this, not only did she let me learn etiquette, but she also used my unavailability as an excuse to reject them.”
Lita smacked her fist into her palm and excitedly told Cecilia about her discovery, only to be met with Cecilia’s gaze as if she were looking at an idiot.
“Lita,” Cecilia said earnestly, sounding like she was caring for a mentally disabled child, “if you really want to go, I suppose I shouldn’t stop you.”
“Wha—what do you mean?” Lita blinked blankly. “Isn’t it all to build a good relationship with me? Is there another reason?”
“Father publicly acknowledged your status. As long as no one objects, you’ll soon become my personal knight. It’s certainly possible that people are trying to win you over.” Cecilia first affirmed Lita’s idea, but doing so only made Lita even more confused.
“However, with the Royal Selection imminent, these ministers have only two purposes in trying to win you over now. Either they genuinely want to build a good relationship with you in the future—though that’s not very likely. Except for a few loyal ministers, most people have no particular requests of you or me.”
“Something they want?”
Lita knew that no meal was ever free. In the past, whenever someone invited her to eat alone rather than as part of a group meal, she would always wonder if the other person wanted something from her.
Now those nobles and ministers were inviting her to dinner—they definitely wanted something. But the problem was that Cecilia had almost no influence in court, and as her personal knight, Lita had nothing special other than being somewhat capable in combat. There really wasn’t much she could provide them.
“Hmm… hmm…” Lita swayed her head as she thought. “So you’re saying they have ulterior motives? They want something?”
“That’s right.” Cecilia nodded, waiting for Lita to figure out the answer herself.
But Lita’s ears drooped. “I don’t get it. I really don’t get it.”
“Because among them are also Amelia’s people.” Cecilia reluctantly told Lita the answer that was right in front of her. “Amelia couldn’t pry information out of me before, so now she has to use you as a breakthrough point.”
“Oh—” Lita seemed to understand but not quite.
Actually, it wasn’t that hard to understand. Amelia had won over a large group of ministers to support her ascension, and her ultimate goal was definitely that crown. Since Cecilia had become a variable, Amelia certainly wouldn’t ignore her.
After her goodwill was unilaterally rejected by Cecilia, Amelia couldn’t suddenly go back and use the Twin Moons to put pressure on herself, so she had to find another way.
And those ministers she had already won over were certainly the best tools. Inviting a future Crest Knight to a banquet was hardly a loss for them, and it was done for the sake of the future queen. Once they obtained useful information, it could elevate their standing in the queen’s eyes in the future.
Favors and co-option were not one-sided. Amelia needed them now, and they could gain huge benefits in the future once Amelia truly ascended. This was also an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their value.
It took a long time, but Lita finally figured it out.
“Alright.” Cecilia clasped her hands together. “Remember what I said? Once you really become my personal knight, we’ll leave the Royal Palace together.”
“Elope… elope?”
Lita suddenly recalled what Waerfeisi had told her earlier about the upheaval in the Royal City. She had insisted on staying before because Cecilia was here. If Cecilia was willing to go with her, then the two of them fleeing this upcoming disaster would be the best choice.
‘But this is a Death Flag! Don’t say that! Everyone who said that kind of thing before died!’
“What are you talking about?” Cecilia glared at Lita in annoyance, a flush flashing across her face, then tapped Lita on the head.
This was the lightest knock Lita’s head had received all day.
“I said leave the Royal Palace, not leave the Royal City.”
“Oh…” Lita’s head drooped. “So what does that mean?”
“I still have some savings. When the time comes, I’ll buy a house in the Royal City, and we’ll move out. We’ll hire a few people we can trust, and you’ll be in charge of the core necessities—food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.”
‘Buy a house! That was a dream she could never reach in her previous life, and it was about to come true! So this was what it felt like to be kept by a little rich girl? Life was truly wonderful.’
‘If we don’t consider the possible disturbances in the Royal City in the future, then the life I’ve always dreamed of could be realized right away. No, no, I can’t set up so many FLAGs! What if something really goes wrong then!’
“Don’t think about such nice things yet. You’re responsible for food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—got it?” Cecilia tapped Lita’s little head again, but this time even lighter.
“Your top priority now is to study your etiquette well and get through these days smoothly until the Enfeoffment Ceremony officially begins. As for those useless invitations, I’ll reject them for you.”
Following Cecilia’s instructions, Lita continued her etiquette lessons with Brennie. Without that big wooden stick, Brennie actually taught quite well. At least her straightforward, rough method saved a lot of trouble, allowing Lita to immediately find the root of the problem and correct it.
Although the method was indeed rough, Lita felt like she could hear a prompt sound every day.
“Bang baka bang, Lita’s etiquette skill has increased!”
Her tangible progress was easy to notice.
At noon on the third day, the long-haired maid pushed in a small dining cart as usual.
“Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess has instructed that after today’s afternoon class, the etiquette lessons will be put on hold for now,” the maid said softly, placing the dishes one by one on the table.
‘On hold? Hooray! But I’m a little reluctant to part with this teacher.’
“Her Royal Highness the Fourth Princess also instructed that after class today, you should go back and change into a proper outfit. Someone is inviting Lady Lita to a private banquet.”
“Huh?” Lita’s mouth fell open.
‘Didn’t Cecilia say she would reject all invitations for me? What’s going on? But maybe it’s a final exam Cecilia arranged for me. When Waerfeisi came a few days ago, didn’t she do the same thing?’
After today’s etiquette class ended, Lita said a proper goodbye to Brennie, returned to her room, and changed into the knight-style formal wear that Cecilia had prepared for her. Then, as she followed the guiding maid deep into the Royal Palace, Lita realized that something seemed off.
‘If the person inviting me was a minister, they wouldn’t lead me deep into the Royal Palace. Could it be that Lady Cecilia wants to test me herself? If so, that’s actually simpler. Even if I make a small mistake, it’s no big deal—Cecilia will teach me the correct method with her dinner fork. Whether she uses it to demonstratively spear a steak or stab me, Lita felt it didn’t matter.’
Not until the maid pushed open the door to the dining hall did Lita realize she had been wrong. This was no test—it was a formal banquet.
Cecilia had said she would help reject all troublesome invitations so Lita could focus on learning etiquette. She had said that, but this invitation was probably something she couldn’t refuse.
In the inn of that small village visited by the Mysterious Piper, Cecilia had once told Lita something: There was always a seat at the King’s table prepared for someone else, and the person dining there each day was uncertain. That person could be a powerful minister, a new maid, or even a child.
“Come, come have a seat.” The King shifted his large, fat body and sat up straight on that clearly widened chair.
Lita followed the etiquette she had learned: she bowed before the King, took her seat, unfolded her napkin, set her utensils, and then bowed again to the King in polite greeting.
“Your movements are much more proper than before,” the King praised as he watched Lita complete these actions, albeit a bit clumsily but in accordance with etiquette.
“Your Majesty, in the past few days, in order to better serve Lady Cecilia, I have taken special etiquette lessons,” Lita replied.
“I still prefer the way you looked when you shouted, ‘Thanks for the Great Favor,'” the King teased, tapping the table with his dinner fork. Although this was clearly a breach of etiquette, the person before Lita was someone who could disregard etiquette as he pleased.
Then he asked Lita what she would like to drink. A waiter immediately stepped forward and filled the King’s glass with summer red wine. Two other waiters pushed a cart in from the other side of the dining hall and began to set the same dishes before the two of them.
Lita didn’t know much about wine. Even though she had a special constitution that couldn’t get drunk, theoretically allowing her to better appreciate wine, since Cecilia absolutely could not touch alcohol, Lita mostly drank the beer that Momoka had in reserve.
“I’ll just have the same,” Lita indicated.
Just as Lita said that, she saw the King grab his wine glass and down it in one gulp, then let out a refreshing breath. The waiter refilled the King’s glass, and the King drank it down in one go again. Only at the third glass did the King finally not touch it; instead, he casually placed it in front of his dinner fork—the correct position according to etiquette.
Rough, but still unconsciously following etiquette—that was the kind of person this King was. Lita had known for a long time that you can’t judge a book by its cover. This man could shatter her clothes with a single slap, so his martial prowess was certainly not low, and a fool couldn’t have sat securely on the throne for so long.
While Lita was pondering, the King raised his napkin and wiped the red wine from the corner of his mouth.
“Ha, I was a bit thirsty.”
“Your Majesty has been waiting for so long, you must indeed be thirsty.” Although Lita herself felt this answer wasn’t very good, since she’d already said it, at least it was neither wrong nor outstanding.
“Alright, eat.” The King picked up a Skyward Grape and tossed it into his mouth. “And while we’re at it, let’s talk about my daughter.”