Chapter 676 – Wiretapping and Evil Delusions

000

The area beneath the large wooden signboard that said ‘Jinmidang’ in the Eastern language was crowded with people coming and going from the entrance.

This place, which is considered the most famous restaurant in Asteris, is a famous restaurant in Asteris, with not only commoners’ families coming to enjoy a meal, but also nobles coming to experience a special meal. Br〉

Perhaps because it’s just before the festival starts, there are quite a few guests from abroad, so hiding in this crowd won’t be that difficult.

“I made a reservation under the name Diora. It’s two people.”

“You are Diora. I’ve been waiting for you, so I’ll guide you to the prepared seat.”

Diora skillfully finishes her conversation with the clerk at the counter.

Cleon glanced up at Diora and made eye contact with her.

＂Because it feels strange to come to a restaurant and sit down without ordering anything. I ordered a course meal, will it be okay?☆”

＂I don’t know if the food will pass through the throat…＂

Cleon responded quietly to Diora’s explanation and moved after the clerk.

“Don’t say that. Jinmidang is a place so famous that it is well-known throughout the kingdom. It’s a restaurant for chefs who have a tradition of not being able to take over the restaurant unless they can create 7 new and beautiful recipes☆ It seems like they’ve been doing business in Asteris for hundreds of years… Aren’t you curious?”

＂If there is such a grand tradition, I must be curious.＂

Cleon answers with a slightly sour expression compared to Diora, who is enjoying the atmosphere of a restaurant somewhere.

“Recently, I’ve gotten used to Kuon’s cooking, so I rarely eat out. Except for Kuon’s cooking, everything started to feel like that.”

＂It’s an empty wife…＂

Even Dio responds to Cleon’s words as if he is a little embarrassed.

“And, I’ve tried Jinmidang’s dishes before. Not long after arriving in the Eastern Country. At that time, we didn’t come directly to the store like this, but had food delivered to our lodgings.”

＂Hehe…＂

From what I remember at that time – except that the delivery ordering system was a bit unusual – I think the meal itself was of a quality that could be enjoyed normally.

And finally, the two sat down near the window where the clerk had guided them, and Cleon looked around.

There were several other people eating noisily around me, and people’s voices were mixed randomly, making it feel like the words I heard had no meaning.

Of course, since each person has something to say, it may be a little difficult to steal and listen to Selena and Enlai’s story.

No, more than that-

“I can’t see Selena and Enlai.”

Okay. The two people cannot be seen in this place.

When Cleon says that, Diora blinks her eyes and then answers Cleon as if asking what he is talking about.

“Well, since we have to talk about secrets, it shouldn’t be done in a place like this.”

“No, I know that too. If that’s the case, shouldn’t we have reserved seats nearby?”

It may be obvious, but Diora answered with a slight smile.

“The two people are in a private room. Even if it is close, it is about the same as the room next door, but of course it is properly soundproofed to protect privacy.”

“Then… What are you going to do?”

＂Now.＂

As she said that, she handed Cleon a silver decoration that appeared to be an ear cuff from her pocket.

“Okay. This is a wiretapping device.”

“As expected, you’re quick-witted, aren’t you? That’s right. Do you remember how during the day I just infused magic into the armor and made it move?”

Cleon nods his head at Diora’s words.

By injecting magic power into armor that does not have a person inside it and making it move like living armor, it makes people think that there is someone inside it.

Of course, the contents made up of magical power cannot make a voice, but by not making a voice when working as Drake, the idea is to maintain the impression of ‘Oh, this person usually talks very little’ so as not to raise suspicion.

＂This time, I will accompany you as an escort and stay in the same room. The other side also has an escort.”

＂Could it is that escort… A bald, muscular man?＂

When Cleon asks that question, Diora blinks her eyes and shrugs her shoulders.

“No? It’s just a guy with a Touhou style mask on his face. He’s not dressed up in robes like the Exiled Church, though. I don’t know if he’s muscular, but the body itself doesn’t look that big. Just like here, not saying a word. It’s following Enlai like a shadow.”

＂… Okay.＂

Cleon thought that Dharma would come as Enlai’s escort, but he thought it must be something else, so he put the ear cuffs he received on his ears and waited for the sound to come.

After a while.

＂It’s a vegetable dish.＂

The clerk smiles and brings a neatly decorated bowl filled with salty dishes such as pickled peanuts to the table where Cleon and Diora are sitting.

＂Oh~!＂

When Diora raises her voice as if she is a little excited while watching it, Cleon frowns and gives her attention with his eyes as if he can’t hear the sound coming from her ear cuff properly.

The clerk tilted her head and walked away at the slightly strange relationship between the two – the boy who looked like a child seemed to be giving a disgrace to Diora, who was an adult.

After the clerk named Dio walks away, he talks to Cleon.

“A Cleon. Don’t be so tight. Basically, talking in a place like this means that the real story comes out only after you drink alcohol and your mouth becomes a little lighter. It’s similar to us, it’s still at the level of an appetizer.”

As she says that, she picks up the fork prepared for the visitor to the kingdom, dips the peanut on the plate, and brings it to her mouth.

＂Uhm~! It’s sour and salty, it’s perfect for drinking☆”

When I lightly express my thoughts about the dish, she looks at the menu on the table and opens the section that lists various alcoholic beverages.

＂Are you serious?＂

＂How are you feeling? I’m a strong drinker. Oh, no Cleon. Because you can’t order alcohol with that appearance.”

＂… Damn.＂

Cleon was also thinking that if Diora ordered a drink, she would join in and order a beer herself, but I don’t know if that idea was discovered, but she was completely blocked.

But, well, of course it is.

Cleon sighs.

Well, then, rather than enjoying the food, Cleon closed his eyes, rested his chin, and focused on the conversation between Selena and Enlai heard from across the curb.

001

“I would like to thank you for inviting me to dinner today, Lord Enlai! I’ve heard of your reputation before! The best diplomat of the Eastern countries!”

The extravagantly decorated room, which can be said to be perfect for a formal dinner, was so expensive that only high-ranking nobles or executives of merchants could use it.

It is a place that is as difficult to make a reservation as the restaurant’s reputation, but given Enlai’s power and influence, it would not be out of the ordinary for him to divert a reservation that was originally reserved for someone else.

Listening to Selena’s energetic praise, Enlai, a raccoon-faced Eastern nobleman, answers by holding his treacherous beard, which is parted on both sides, with his fingers and brushing them away.

“Haha… That’s too much praise. I’m just carrying on what my family has done. Strengthening the relationship between the two countries is simply the mission I was given by the royal family.”

Unlike the violence with which he usually treats his subordinates, he treats Selena as politely as possible.

Enlai’s expression also had a benevolent smile on his face, but his dissatisfaction with Selena was already brewing and was about to overflow.

‘For leaving that screen open during the day… I almost got reprimanded. This damn bitch…’

Of course, hiding one’s true intentions and getting what one wants while appearing as friendly as possible to the other party is a basic skill in politics.

In that respect, Enlai is a seasoned politician who is unrivaled even in the Eastern countries.

Although the relationship between the two people, who wore a mask of pretense and smiled happily, seemed to have no problems on the outside.

Selena understood from Cleon’s explanations she heard during the day that she needed to be careful with Enlai, and Enlai thought of Selena as a stupid woman and how she should use him to help her. She was tapping the abacus to see if she could get the most benefit.

What happened during the day that Double’s En Rye thought about was the incident in which Cleon and Diora invaded Selena’s speech and disappeared for a moment together with her.

The reason she disappeared was because Selena used her magic to move around, but since Dio also anticipated that and made a plan, it can be said that she was the culprit.

Of course, Enlai, who does not know such circumstances, is annoyed that his schedule has been disrupted by a sudden order from the palace. As soon as he returns, he asks the kingdom’s officials who followed the delegation, ‘What is the security of Asteris?’ If something happens to Selena. If so, he was accused of something for which he was not responsible.

To him, Selena no longer seemed to be anything more or less than a troublemaker.

Then, she turns her gaze and looks at the knight of the kingdom wearing red armor standing behind her.

The dragon knight, Drake, is so rumored that even in the Eastern countries, people say to give up all hope the moment armor made in the image of a dragon is seen on the battlefield.

Was it an illusion to see something like red eyes inside the metal-covered helmet?

There was some talk that what was inside was not human, but the guards they brought here were also formidable.

No, because she had confidence that she could overpower Drake, En Lai was able to proceed with the story without being overwhelmed by Drake.

She said, “I heard that she suffered a sudden attack during the day. I came down to the region for a while on other business and returned to Asteris a little while ago… But something like that happened in Asteris while I was away. If I had been there, I would have deployed more guards to prevent something like that from happening. Apparently, there are not many people in the palace who care about the safety of the kingdom’s delegation, including Selena.”

En Lai’s attitude of shaking her head while sighing loudly was a bit exaggerated, but with this, she appealed that ‘she is competent, but it happened because of the rest of the incompetent guys’.

When Selena heard Enlai’s words, she smiled brightly and responded.

＂It’s okay! No matter how many guards there are, if Selena was there, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt!”

Apparently, Enlai’s way of dealing with things didn’t seem to work on Selena.

＇This simple idiot…!＇

Enlai’s insults against her burst out once again, but Enlai, hiding her embarrassment, responded like this.

“In the old days, even Asteris wasn’t like this. In an eastern country, an incident that causes trouble to the people of the kingdom occurs. This is all because the people of Asteris began to forget the favor they received from the kingdom in the past war between the empire and the kingdom. Starting with this Five Elements Festival, I hope that the relationship between the two countries will become stronger once again.”

“But it wasn’t the Easterners who attacked you?”

＂…＂

At Selena’s point, En Lai shuts her mouth for a moment, then smiles shyly and nods her head.

“Is that so? That was a blessing in disguise. From what I heard, I was attacked by some suspicious guys wearing masks, so I thought they were some unscrupulous guys somewhere in the Eastern Country.”

Of course, since Enlai had received reports of the raiders’ appearance, she knew that it was the crime of those imitating the Exiled Order.

Of course, it was suspected that it was Cleon and his group, but since there was also a report that Selena had killed them, Enlai said that the possibility was low and eliminated them as candidates.

If Cleon had died, it would have definitely escalated into a bigger incident.

In Enlai’s mind, it was difficult to imagine that such a foolish woman would be lying to herself.

“Hehe. I am grateful for your concern. However, it can be said that it is a needless worry that something of that magnitude will cause a rift between the Eastern countries and the kingdom. Is the alliance between the two countries already strong and strong enough to send envoys to each other’s festivals?”

“Haha… It’s just as Selena said. You are an intelligent person with political insight.”

＂Oh hoho~! Well, that’s it~!”

While En Lai lightly compliments her Selena, she gently turns on her car in front of her.

He already thought that Selena was stupid, but she had a strong ego and was prone to sugarcoating.

In that case, rather than talking about Cleon and Princess Amelia, which was the original goal, the first thing to do would be to chat lightly with her until she drinks and let go of the wariness she seems to have towards herself.

That, in her words, is her specialty.

En Lai thinks like that and continues his words.

“No, no. This Enlai was also impressed. If I had a son, I would tell him to take someone like Selena as his wife.”

“Oh. Actually, I also heard from my mother that marriage talks may be coming up soon. However, if you listen to what you just said, does Lord Enlai have any children…?”

“Ah. Unfortunately, I am still single, so the issue of successor is one of my concerns. As far as I know, Selena’s father, the Duke of Regent, and I are only about a year older than each other… If I had found a partner in time and got married, marriage talks might have really taken place between the two families. Haha!”

As En Lai says that, he looks Selena up and down with his small eyes without being noticed.

Even if you take out that burdensome drill head, Selena was a beauty with brilliant blonde hair and sapphire-blue eyes with the bloodline of a pureblood kingdom noble.

Contrary to the impression that her magicians would lock themselves in their workshops and concentrate on their studies for days without washing up, she was an excellent magician and never neglected to decorate herself.

A walking flashlight decorated with accessories containing an emblem symbolizing the magic of light and attracting the attention of others.

If only he could make her his own… Her unpleasant greed creeps up inside him.

Although I was aware of how absurd and absurd it was, it was an unavoidable accident that I had regretted for 50 years.

‘No… Wait a minute…?’

And, the devil living in his head whispers.

For a woman who looks this stupid and light-hearted, there is a high chance that she will become rude if you give her some alcohol and get her drunk.

In the 30 years of her life, Enlai developed a tolerance for alcohol as she was taken to many drinking parties, and she also realized that she drank better than others.

If she’s that drunk, she… Wouldn’t she be able to do it somehow?

＇Then, take advantage of this woman’s weakness… And use this woman to destroy the Regent family… Keke…!’

Enlai talks while dreaming that laughter naturally flows out.

“Ruler. Let’s stop talking about stiff things and enjoy the meal first. Jinmidang is the best restaurant that Dongbang-guk is proud of.”

“I have heard of your reputation. I’m really curious about what kind of dish will be served!”

Enlai smiles wryly at Selena, whose eyes sparkle.

Of course, things in this world and Selena are not easy enough for things to go as he thinks.

I hadn’t realized it yet.