TD Chapter 34: What Does it Mean

　The situation is serious, I can’t afford to keep such high-profile people waiting.

　Thinking so, I moved to the reception room on the second floor.

　It possesses three pairs of sofas lined up around a low table, but since there are three carriages, they might not be sufficient to seat all of them.

　Should I increase the number of sofas? Would it make it awkward is there were too many?

　I was in distress.

　Since Espada, Dee, and Kamsin are not of appropriate status to sit down in a meeting between such high-level nobles, they simply stood next to me. I was the only one sitting on my couch.

　By the way, Till is hurriedly preparing snacks and tea.

　I am having some late regrets… should I have asked him how many people came to the meeting?

　As I was mulling over these subtle concerns, I heard a knock on the door.

　It was then that I gave up.

“Come in.”

　I replied in a resigned voice. Well, since I’m just a local lord without a title, I might not be of high enough status to sit at the same level as these noblemen, but I need to make a point.

　Since I am just a child, if I am taken lightly due to my attitude, my words are going to be treated lighter than helium gas.

　As I was poising myself, the door was opened with a resounding thud.

　Two people appeared, a beautiful woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties and a beautiful girl who looked to be about ten years old.

(T.N. Note: Finally, clear gender pronouns… is it bad that I actually shed a tear?)

　The beautiful woman was tall and slender. As she walked, her long, wavy blonde hair swung in the air.

　Simply put, she looks like the perfect, idealized image of am American girl.

(T.N. Note: I just had to share the raws for this sentence, it was so freaking funny: “To put it simply, she looks like “OH! it’s an American dream!”)

　The beautiful girl looked unhappy, gloomy even. Her hair and skin were ghostly white. Her hunched back and upward glances made her look as though she possessed no self-confidence. Her troubled face seemed to be a permanent fixture.

　Looking at the girl, she almost made me worry whether or not she was being bullied.

　…In this situation, should I continue to sit down?

　They sent two people who are hard to judge. No, wait, why did they send some random kids?

　I then decided to sit up.

“Nice to meet you. I am Van Ney Fertio. I’m the lord in charge of this village.”

　After introducing myself, the beautiful woman and the beautiful girl bowed in return. Then, the beautiful woman put her hand on her chest and replied.

“My name is Panamera Carrera Cayenne and I was recently raised to the rank of Viscount. I once was a knight.”

　The woman laughed wryly. Although her words seemed humble, her words exuded confidence.

　I suppose the confidence was only natural. After all, although she acted like it was no big deal, becoming a viscount is no small feat. Especially since she had achieved it in a single generation, and from the lowly position of a knight, no less.

　This American-like beauty is quite a talented person, and there is no doubt that she was brilliant.

　In contrast, the white-haired girl had the exact opposite atmosphere, with her pulling her chin inwards in an unconfident manner before she opened her mouth.

”I’m Arte On Ferdinand, the youngest daughter of Count Ferdinand… well, I heard that a member of the Fertio family came to this village, and my father asked me to go and greet them. “

　After finishing her whispered greetings, the girl named Arte bowed deeply.

　Thinking from Count Ferdinand’s perspective, one of the sons of the Marquis Fertio, a potential heir to his rival, has been sent to the frontier. Alright, I’ll use my youngest daughter to scout him out.

　But that leaves Panamera’s goal in question. Why was she here?

　When I looked at her, a pair of beat-like eyes looked back. Scared, I put away such thoughts and simply invited the two of them to sit down.

　Panamera’s eyes were unfriendly and sharp, observing me warily.

　Then I realized why she was here.

　Count Ferdinand, although he was obviously angered by the king’s partitioning of his land, was also scared. He was scared of the might of my Father.

　He found it suspicious that my father would send his most talented son to some random village on the frontier. He reasoned that my poor treatment was simply a prelude to some sort of operation against his territory. He was deathly afraid of the possibility of a surprise attack.

　That’s why he sent Panamera, one of the most capable soldiers in the kingdom, to accompany his daughter to the meeting.

　I guessed that much and looked up.

”I am undeserving of such a respectful greeting. I am flattered that someone of your status would deign to visit such a worthless frontier village as mine.”

　When I wryly laughed, Arte relaxed her shoulders, as if relieved. However, Panamera opened her mouth with a predatory grin.

”…From the looks of it, you’re probably a little younger than Miss Arte, yet you’re much calmer. Please don’t read too deeply into this question, but… why do you think we are here?”

　The question was very blunt. I couldn’t help but laugh at how straightforward it was.

“Let me guess, you are here to assess your enemy’s situation. Perhaps you are even seeking to make me join your cause.”

　After answering in a matter-of-fact tone, Panamera’s eyes widened and she started laughing.

”Huha, hahaha! Incredible! To think that a child could possess such deep insight. Master Van, you are completely right!”

　Panamera laughed as if it was funny and reveals what she should have kept hidden.

“Lord Ferdinand couldn’t understand Marquis Fertio’s intentions. Everyone pays attention to the heirs of influential people, but Lord Van had been particularly noteworthy. Normally, an eight-year old’s aptitude for magic would be assessed and an unveiling ceremony would be held, but no such event was held in your honor.”

　Panamera looking down at my face with observant eyes.

”Well, perhaps your magical aptitude wasn’t of the four elemental magics, but that would not warrant you being installed as a lord of some worthless frontier territory. After all, you were rumored to be a prodigy. In addition, the timing of your appointment was strange as well. In most cases, lords-to-be would receive extensive training, but you were sent right after your magical aptitude test. It fostered suspicion in Lord Ferdinand, that some such an abnormal individual was entrusted with land on the boundary between this county and the Kingdom of Yelinetta.”

　Panamera joyfully leaked a large amount of sensitive information.

　No, no matter what situation, it is strictly forbidden for high ranking nobles in the country to scout out other nobles or seek to destroy them. She was an… unusual woman that was to be sure.

　Are you giving this information just to see how I will react?

　Looking to her side, I can see that Arte is scowling.

”…Well, even if I hide my information, it would have been found out eventually. Let’s just say that I don’t have an aptitude for any of the four-elements magics, which is a shame. However, the rest of your conjectures are too fantastical. I’ve simply been banished to a frontier village.”

　Laughing at myself, I say this, prompting Panamera to stare at my face, giddy.

　Then, she suddenly raised her body and let out a deep sigh.

”…Is that true? How boring. To think that the child prodigy was not as amazing as rumored.”

“You, do you truly think my father has sent me on some kind of grand mission?”

　Panamera’s words made me cringe a little, and I retorted back in anger. I was kicked out of the house for no other reason than disappointment at my aptitude. There is no doubt about it. My dad and my brother are idiots…

　Is was then that Panamera suddenly opened a hand with a terrified expression.

(T.N. Note: Wasn’t quite sure why opening a hand was the correct movement for “terror”, but I didn’t really get an alternative.)

“How could I have not noticed? I saw everything I needed when I arrived at this land. In a mere month or two, our scouts had reported that this was just some washed-up border village. In that short period of time, high walls have been built, and every building was rebuilt with the incredibly high-quality material, the manufacturing method of which is unknown. There are experienced stewards in the lord’s mansion, and skilled knights to protect its walls.

　After saying that much, Panamera checked Arte’s face for a moment, and then continued to speak quietly.

”…At least, you would have needed around 5 thousand men? To think that they could transport so many troops unnoticed. But, Marquis Fertio still took such an incredible risk. And why is that? The only reason would be that the Marquis has high expectations for lord Van and that they intend to establish a military base here.”

“Buh.”

(T.N. Note: A laughing onomatopoeia.)

　Panamera’s grand misunderstanding blew me away.

　The conversation was flowing in a bad direction.

　But I can’t stop laughing at how amusingly wrong she was. To be fair, it was a reasonable assumption if one solely looked at the situation without any context or knowledge of prior events.

“…what’s so funny?”

　I heard a low, growling voice. When I looked, Panamera is staring at us, seeming wary of her surroundings.

　Because my ‘plans’ were exposed, she was afraid of being assassinated. 

　Responding to her killing intent, Dee gently sat down and became ready for battle. Following Dee’s lead, Kamsin put his hand over the hilt of his sword.

”Huha, hahaha.”

　The more serious the atmosphere became, the more unbearable it became. 

　I knew that everyone’s attention was trained on me, but I let myself laugh for a while more.

(T.N. Note: Time to come clean, for the T.N. notes, I just realized that ‘Translator’s Note’ would be abbreviated as T.L. Note, not T.N. note.)

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