The Main Heroine Likes the Extra

67 – The Empire and the Duke of Grace

The academy returned after about a week and there was not much change.

Since vacation was coming soon, most of the classes were in the final stage of the course, and the students were excited about planning their vacation.

And that atmosphere permeated us, and we were no exception.

“Then are you going to the county as originally planned?”

“Yes. My older brother and my mother allowed it.”

After class in the morning, it’s lunchtime.

We finished our lunch and were spending time in the classroom.

According to Emilia and Riel’s story, Riel decided to stay in the Earl of Wentos during the summer vacation, as she had originally planned.

First of all, staying in the Earl of Wentos was a good choice for your own safety.

In addition, Prince Andrew was busy rebuilding the duchy, and Duchess Rachel also needed to settle down for the time being.

Being able to meet often during her vacation, Emilia was delighted and held Riel’s hand.

“I hope we can meet often!”

“Yeah, but I’ll be staying at Arianrod Fortress…”

“Don’t worry! I’ll find you!”

While they were talking about what to do for vacation, I was writing a letter.

I also had to convey the report on what happened in the dukedom, and that I would be taking Riel with me on summer vacation.

In addition, I had to say hello, but that was taking time.

Anyway, writing a greeting takes more time than a normal situation report.

At the time I was contemplating what kind of sentence to write, I could feel the popularity.

Since I stopped right in front of my seat, I guessed that I had something to do. When I looked up, there was a completely unexpected person standing there.

“Can I wait a minute?”

“…Miss Carlena?”

The Grace family, one of the kingdom’s three major ducal families.

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Karlena Grace, the daughter of the Grace family and her classmate, was standing in front of her eyes.

Behind her, her two young daughters, Sherry Rayme and Liza Brün, who always followed her, were standing with a somewhat uneasy look on their faces.

I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on.

I haven’t had a conversation with Carlena Grace since I said one word to another.

Carlena Grace tucked her blonde hair behind her, then opened her mouth.

“There are many things I want to ask you.”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes. You and…”

Her gaze turned to Riel, who was chatting with Emilia from behind.

“…To Miss Riel.”

What do you want to ask me and Riel?

What does Carlena Grace want to ask me and Riel?

She turned her gaze toward her with a little bit of curiosity.

Is it because of her feelings that her green eyes contain a bit of fatigue?

“It’s a little too much for me to ask here… Can you give me some time after school?”

“…Yeah. Sounds like something important, I don’t care.”

“Yes. You can come to this place… Please tell Miss Riel instead.”

She held out her piece of paper, greeted her with her thin smile, then turned and returned to her seat.

Her two daughters who had been following her hurriedly followed her.

…What’s really going on?

For me, I still lacked predictable materials.

After school, she was moving with Riel to the place she had promised.

At first, when she said that she was going to meet Miss Carlena, she opened her eyes wide and glared at Riel for a moment, but when she said that she wanted to meet Riel as well, her eyes quickly relaxed.

She was lost in thought as she walked down the street.

I’m not familiar with Carlena Grace at all, but what about Riel?

She’s also the daughter of a duke, so they might be close friends.

Though she thought of that, she asked Riel.

She said, “She’s the same age as hers, so she ran into her once during her debut tangent, but she never even talked to her.”

This answer came flying.

In other words, Riel also has no idea of Karlena’s intention to meet us.

The Grace Family A family in charge of the dukedom located in the western part of the kingdom.

The Duchy of Grace is not particularly rich in resources or good for farming.

However, there is one thing that has developed greatly in that region, and it is none other than art.

Not only popular arts such as art and music, but also theater and writing.

It is no exaggeration to say that it is a region where almost all arts are developing.

Is that all, the Duchy of Grace is famous as a tourist destination?

Especially in the west, where the Duchy of Grace is located, there is a road leading to foreign countries including the Marcos Empire right next to it, so it was one of the first areas that tourists enter.

In other words, the main source of income for the Duchy of Grace is the arts sector and tourism.

Ah…!!

If you think about it that way, the biggest reason Carlena Grace contacted us this time is…

“…Isn’t it because of what happened in the Duchy of Ignis?”

“You mean attacked by elves?”

Riel’s expression darkened slightly at my words.

When I still think of that time, Riel seems to have a lot of complicated feelings.

“She said that because of her issues related to the elves, she came to consult with the Marcos Empire.”

“Uh…Yes. That’s what His Highness Aine said, right?”

“Yes. The territory bordering the Marcos Empire is the Duchy of Grace.”

At my words, Riel nodded as if she understood the situation.

And when she arrived at the place she had promised, the restaurant, we could see that the prediction was correct.

As soon as we sat down, Carlena Grace, who presented her menu, opened her mouth after finishing her order.

“First of all, I’ll apologize.”

“Yes?”

As Riel and I were both staring blankly at the sudden apology, Carlena Grace let out a deep sigh.

“In some ways, this situation can be seen as a management failure of the Grace duchy.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Riel was the first to question Karlena’s words.

At Riel’s slightly furious gaze, Carlena spoke with a tired tone.

“…We, the Duke of Grace, are responsible for the diplomatic relations between the Marcos Empire and the Kingdom. Mainly overseeing the execution of treaties between the two countries.”

“So what?”

“…This is not the first time an elf mercenary living in the Marcos Empire has had an accident in the kingdom.”

I looked at Carlena, wondering what she was saying, and she explained.

It is said that it was the previous emperor’s intention that the Marcos Empire began to protect elves.

Although elves were strong, they were often exposed to threats such as human trafficking because they were such a rare species.

In particular, there were many elves in the Marcos Empire, and when such damages occurred one after another, the emperor at the time created a system to protect elves.

Thanks to that system, the elves didn’t suffer any undue damage, but there was one big problem.

The fact that none other than elves were too free beings.

Unlike humans and beastmen, whose actions can be limited to some extent by laws and institutions, elves did not dwell on such things.

They were living under the logic that what they worship is freedom, and what they can suppress is power.

The current emperor, who inherited the throne from the previous emperor, grasped the situation and tried to contain the elves somehow.

In the case of the gentle elves, however, they were able to do something by listening to the emperor.

The biggest problem is that among the elves, some clans highly value strength and freedom.

There were a lot of wandering clans doing mercenary work, and if it was within the empire, the empire would take responsibility and solve it somehow, but if they went abroad and had an accident, it would be a headache.

So they informed the neighboring countries of their danger in advance, and the neighboring countries were able to thoroughly control the entry of elves.

Duke Grace, who is in charge of the border with the Marcos Empire, also properly checked and inspected the elves coming in from the border, and conducted entry processing.

But this incident happened.

Even though they were originally supposed to be treated to restrict their behavior upon entering the country, the official in charge of that task did something wrong and allowed them to enter the country without implementing the treatment at all.

After learning of this incident, the distraught Duke Grace summoned the official and thoroughly interrogated him.

The official was not even aware of the fact that he had done so, and the enraged Duke Grace dismissed the official and said that he was punished.

‘Is it a fairy…’

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Knowing that those elves were acting together with the fairies, I looked at Riel with that in mind.

Riel must have thought the same, she looked at me with those red eyes and nodded her head.

… The official may feel a bit unfair, but he didn’t bother to tell Carlena about it.

If you talk about it to someone who doesn’t know anything, it won’t sound like nonsense.

“…I know that a single apology like this won’t ease the hearts of the two people whose lives were threatened, but please forgive me.”

“……”

I had nothing to say.

For this to be the responsibility of the Duke of Grace, the existence of a fairy was too despicable.

“This is my personal apology, and I think sooner or later the duke’s family will visit both families to apologize in person.”

“Yeah…? Until then…”

“No. Since our family’s situation has brought about a situation where your lives have been threatened, a proper apology and compensation are absolutely necessary.”

Seeing Karlena lowering her head repeatedly, both I and Riel laughed bitterly as if they were embarrassed.

I thought that real fairies were buying and running properly.

Then her food order arrived, and somehow appeased her to begin her meal.

Of course, the duke’s daughters, Riel and Carlena, were both eating with graceful movements.

…What should I do?

I’m not good at eating with such elegant manners.

…Since the atmosphere in the house is like that, I haven’t learned anything other than really basic dining manners, and Riel understands my dining manners and even follows them from time to time, so it wasn’t much of a problem…

If you showed such manners in front of Miss Carlena, you’d be dishonoring the family’s name…

As she couldn’t even touch her food with such a troubled expression, Riel, who was eating next to her, stabbed her in the side.

And then, in whispers, Riel lectured me on fast-paced dining manners.

… She honestly didn’t understand half of it, but she was able to eat at least not to sell.

At that time, I didn’t know that Carlena Grace was keeping a sidelong, but certain, eye on me and Riel.