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Chapter 269: The Suspicions Of A Noble (Leon de Harrington)

The dining hall in Kraelonia Academy was decoratedwith a little less than two hours prior to prepare for the Crowel House's arrival, the Committee of Students were still able to furnish the high ceilings with garlands of flowers from its garden and the magical light orbs gave off a soft glow that made the banquet in the center of the hall look fit enough for a feast for a King.

"Are you okay, Leon?" Lady Angelika asked.

He weakly smiled, "Frankly, no."

"I think we did a great job with the design. You don't have to worry about it too much." The Lady craned her neck around the dining hall. And though most of them were unable to perform any magical illusions that could spice up the place, it was still quite magnificent in its own way.

"Indeed, we have..." And yet that wasn't his worries.

"Well, what does everyone else think?" she asked.

The other people on the table from her sister Penelope to even Teresa were quick to agree with Lady Angelika, either by virtue of her position or perhaps in a way to make him feel better. Well, he cared not for designs and actually preferred the understated classiness that the architecture provided.

But he didn't mention it.

Sir Leon de Harrington was the head of the first year representatives and that meant most of the duties were delegated to him. He heard that Roux Arcois was the representative in their year, but he was busy most of the time along with other upperclassmen. He didn't mind it. Work was work. He enjoyed proving himself capable.

But this wasn't what worried him.

When compared to the Primrose House that focused on mercantile and magical artifacts that provided them wealth and prestige it was a completely different thing for his own.

The Harrington House knew who to connect with and who to avoid.

Because of his background, he understood that while it wasn't that well known to the vast majority of the peoplea great number of the Nobility ostracized the Crowel House. The current King Indrus Sargon only had one daughter and if she were not able to succeed him then the Crowel House's head or heir might in turn be one of the persons to inherit the throne.

Sargon.

Crowel.

Their ancestors were related to some certain degree if anybody bothered to open a genealogy book. Add on to the fact that it wasn't a lie that power schemes were present in everyday life. Crowel House could be plotting against the throne, and it also gave anybody who associated with them the same level of healthy mistrust and skepticism as them.

Now it didn't mean that the Crowel House was a full outcast, for they attended social events. Or rather the Lady did it while the father kept to their lands, possibly self-isolating himself. People tended to point fingers to the person most reviled the most. He sighed and rested a hand on his cheek, "This is why it's far easier on the battlefieldat least you're aware when someone wants to stab you."

Lady Angelika made a face. Whereas the surrounding others made their own reactions or tried to hold it back. He earned an eye roll from Diov, while others looked a bit surprised.

"It still hurts like hell when you get attacked though." Donovan reminded him.

"Indeed."

Leon de Harrington almost wanted to say that getting stabbed in the gut was far better than getting stabbed in the back. And drinking poison was a lot harder to cure than eitherbut he stopped. He was already considering the chances of the Crowel House being here. What were their motivations for coming here besides the obvious alibi?

Had they caught wind of the Princess' presence?

Or disappearance, rather?

Some other Noble House might have worked with them to gather information or perhaps aimed for the crown themselves, but he was only relieved that he managed to get the Princess away on time. He shut his eyes and remembered the image of the Princess before she left a little past midnight or so.

Her Highness Iolathane Sargon had artifacts on her person, and even a notable invisibility cloak that he swore was something that had come from the King's personal armory. His father had mentioned it before during the celebration of the conquest.

It was something that the King had gained from the war between the Yegerian Kingdom and the Matriarch Queen of the Lamias and Lizardfolk? His history of such events was a little poor, he never actually enjoyed it that much despite his own family's personal interest and even his brother's participation during the war.

Maybe that just made him dislike it more.

"Wait, isn't that Han?" Russel suddenly said.

The Noble raised his head and indeed saw said person accompanied by the Crowel House Lady and their personal vanguard. Thistlethorn Hunters. And the very sight of it was enough to make him ill at ease. "That's him, indeed."

"Huh, did the Crowel House nab him already?" Diov Brande said. He raised a brow. "It seems that the House is working fast. Or Han is the one who worked fast."

"... I don't mean to say anything rude," Teresa began.

Russel rolled his eyes, "Not a good start to a sentence, but what is it? Are you curious on why Han got scouted quickly?" The man didn't bother him staring as the Crowel House's Hunters took their positions around the main table where the Lady and Han took a seat together. The two were even accompanied by the Headmaster and other faculty.

"I cannot comprehend why, is all."

"Well, he's probably not high level, but he's got potential in combat?" Donovan shrugged and joined in on the conversation. "One can't help but wonder what Class oh wait, he's got the Rogue Class, right?"

"Mhmm, Professor Uriel said it and he confirmed it."

Diov Brande clasped his hands together, his gauntlets placed in front of him. "The Thistlethorn Hunters could have some use for Rogue or Assassin classes. I can see it working out for Han if he were to join..." He suddenly grimaced.

"What's that face for? You made a correct assessment."

"I don't like speaking at all."

"Sure you don't."

Amidst the conversation, Sir Leon de Harrington was the only one caught up in his troubled thoughts. Was his worries all for naught?

Far from it.

It might differ from his original notions of what the Crowel House came for, but he still didn't like the idea of seeing what he considered one of the people he knew being involved with such a House. And yet there was something wrong in the assessment of the people around him. They failed to take one thing into account.

"While it may be true, that Students are scouted by the Crowel House or have themselves sponsored while studying here, it wouldn't make sense for them to dine with one another. Lady Andromeda Crowel wouldn't be someone who'd waste time like thisso there's something else besides conscription or recruitment."

"... You're right." Diov acknowledged.

Russel's eyes widened, "Don't tell me this is the plot of the Prince and the Peasant story happening right in front of our eyes."

"Hah?" Teresa gave him a look. "What the heck are you saying?"

"Isn't it supposed to be the Princess and the Peasant?" Lu Rei asked.

"The Princess and Peasant is a romance novel between the Princess and Peasant when her carriage gets stuck in the mud and the Peasant helps the driver and he also defended and saves her from thieves." Russel said. "The Prince and Peasant story is about two people finding that they have similar appearances with one another and then decide to pretend to be each other for a day both are written by the same author, Pensmith. So I guess you can get confused."

"I see?" Lu Rei looked like she regretted asking the question.

Russel waved a hand, "Ah, whatever the case, I guess it is oddbut that means Han won't be sitting with us for lunch."

"I don't even know how what you said actually explains things." Teresa shook her head. "That's actually Han and not some Prince in disguise."

"Well, you clearly can't comprehend how my mind works."

"Nobody really does."

Russel frowned and then turned to his friend, "... Calum gets me, right Calum?"

"Hmm?" Calum looked up from his meal and raised a brow.

"See?"

"I clearly fail to see"

"Excuse me, but has anybody seen Timothy?" Penelope asked and finally butted into the argument between the two friends.

Donovan raised a brow, "If you can't see him, how much more could weow." Lady Angelika elbowed the man, and with her armor, it hurt.

Penelope sighed, "He was called by a certain Gesth Carter to the faculty room but hasn't returned since then. I assumed he would at least come here with Han, but it seems far from the case if he's with someone else."

"Did you say Gesth Carter?" Diov asked.

"Yes, do you know who that is?"

Sir Leon de Harrington found the name familiar. It might have been something he had heard before in a passing conversation and yet this was another thing. Timothy was called by a certain individual for an unknown reason as well? It seemed quite strange. What were the chances it also happened today?

"My father once wanted to hire him to be part of his personal army. Now he's nothing close to a Hero's Class or level or anything, but that person is a veteran in the battlefield. He's quite well-known for those who want to hire reliable people."

"Huh?" Penelope blinked.

"What would a person like that want with Timothy, anyway?"

Those were all very good questions.