Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 100

* * *

At Ed’s comment, Ronen moved the finger puppet again and replied.

“Yeah, I’ve seen how hard everyone has worked for the tournament, so I’d never be unfair.”

Watching Ronen resolutely shake his head, Ed gave a faint smile.

Just then, a voice came from behind Ed. It was the Grand Duke.

“Thanks to having such impartial judges, tomorrow’s martial arts competition will be more enjoyable and splendid than ever.”

Ed turned his head to see the Grand Duke stride into the library.

Bowing his head in greeting, Ed watched the Grand Duke acknowledge him with a gentle nod before taking a seat nearby.

Ronen wiggled the puppet, saying.

“Brother, you worked hard again today.”

“Thank you, Ronen. But should you be staying up this late when you have to rise early tomorrow?”

“I think I’m too excited about tomorrow’s tournament to sleep, brother. And Ed was studying until just now, so maybe it’s good for him to relax a bit before bed too?”

Ronen’s eyes were still sparkling with anticipation as he moved the eagle puppet, gently pecking the Grand Duke’s hand with its beak.

The Grand Duke patted the puppet’s head lightly before turning his attention to Ed.

The Grand Duke, who also didn’t seem ready to sleep yet, sat upright and listened to the conversation.

“Ronen, which event are you looking forward to the most in tomorrow’s tournament?”

“Um…,” Ronen pondered for a moment before answering, “the swordsmanship duel! Watching the knights train with their swords in the training grounds was really inspiring. I want to practice swordsmanship soon so I can participate in the tournament one day.”

“Then I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the tournament next year.”

“…Oh, but I don’t think I’ll be ready by next year.”

“Then the year after will do.”

“Yes! I’ll train hard and make sure to participate in the tournament then.”

Ronen made the puppets move again as he responded, and the Grand Duke chuckled, ruffling Ronen’s hair.

“Ed, is there an event you’re particularly looking forward to?”

The Grand Duke turned to Ed, who replied.

“I’m looking forward to the horseback riding. Watching the knights ride with such skill and precision… It’s impressive just to see how they control the horses so freely.”

“Ah, come to think of it, you haven’t learned horseback riding yet, have you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“There will come times when you’ll need to ride while working at the northern castle. It won’t hurt to learn ahead of time to be prepared.”

“…”

“So after the tournament, let’s start horseback riding lessons. We can begin with ponies so it won’t be intimidating. I’ll personally teach you, so don’t worry, Ed.”

Early the next morning, the northern castle was bustling as horses and carriages left.

Led by Irtel, the knights, dressed in red and blue, split into two teams and set out from the castle, making a magnificent scene.

Upon arriving at Mount Garenda, the teams were busy setting up tents and preparing.

The knights were fired up, shouting cheers as they geared up for victory.

“Jaynon, why are you lingering here even though you’re not a participant? You better not get hurt, because today, we’ll show that bald eagle what we’re made of.”

“Why can’t I be here to cheer, even if I’m not competing? You should worry about not getting hurt yourself, or you might end up a toothless lion.”

Hearing voices outside, Ed stepped out of the tent. Ronen had gone with Irtel to look around the tournament site.

As soon as Tens and Jaynon, who were exchanging barbs in front of the tents, saw Ed, they both rushed to speak.

“Ed, watch closely today! I’ll show you how to flatten Jaynon’s arrogance.”

“There’s a certain joy in watching how someone like Tens will eventually break, Ed. You know, empty barrels always make the loudest noise.”

Ed replied to Tens and Jaynon, who still seemed like they were on good terms, with a simple, “I’ll look forward to it,” before moving on.

‘If I go this way, there should be a small lake.’

He thought he’d take a light stroll while Ronen was spending time with Irtel.

Garenda Mountain, though part of the rough northern range, was lower and had relatively well-made paths.

Enjoying the picturesque autumn scenery, Ed took his time walking.

“Pardon me, my lord.”

A voice called out from behind him.

When Ed turned around, an elderly man was approaching, pulling a heavy cart.

Ed, noticing the man’s struggle, stepped forward to help and asked,

“What’s the matter?”

“These are the arrows needed for today’s tournament, but my horse got spooked along the way, and I ended up running late. Could you tell me where to bring them?”

“For supplies, you should be able to get assistance at the entrance of the camp. It seems the paths got a bit mixed up since everyone is busy with preparations.”

Ed glanced over the arrows loaded in the cart, thinking, ‘The camp is downhill from here, so wouldn’t it be better to leave the cart and fetch a horse?’

As he considered running down to the camp to verify things, a voice came from behind.

“What’s going on, Ed?”

When he turned, the Grand Duke was standing there.

Ed, who was holding the cart, quickly bowed and explained,

“This merchant is responsible for the tournament supplies but lost his way, Your Grace. Since the cart is heavy and the road isn’t well-paved, I thought of bringing a horse from the camp.”

The Grand Duke briefly eyed the cart loaded with arrows and spoke to the elderly man.

“You’ve had a rough journey.”

It was only after hearing Ed’s words that the old man realized who stood before him.

Realizing it was the Grand Duke himself, he hurriedly fixed the cart and bowed deeply.

“G-Greetings, Your Grace. I apologize for arriving later than scheduled. I should have considered the damage to the roads caused by the recent rains…”

The Grand Duke lightly shook his head.

“I should’ve anticipated the condition of the roads and sent knights and soldiers to clear them. The fault lies with me. Did you pull the cart alone all this way?”

“No, Your Grace. I came with a horse pulling it, but the slippery paths startled it. My companions stayed back to calm the horse, while I came ahead.”

“I see. Are your companions waiting at the foot of the mountain?”

“They should be calming the horse and making their way up slowly with the other cart by now.”

“That’s a relief.”

After some thought, the Grand Duke spoke.

“Tell me the name of your trading company and the direction your group is coming from. I’ll send knights to assist and ensure a smoother journey.”

“Oh, no, Your Grace.”

“The state of the roads is a result of pushing the schedule too hastily, so it’s only right for me to oversee the situation. Don’t be burdened and just tell me.”

“Th-Thank you so much, Your Grace.”

When the elderly man provided the details, the Grand Duke nodded and waved his hand through the air.

At the unexpected gesture, Ed’s eyes widened, and the old man blinked in confusion.

“Huh?”

A bright light emerged in the air, and from the summoning circle, Aran appeared.

Noticing Ed, whom it hadn’t seen in a while, Aran happily circled around him, nuzzling close.

Ed, smiling softly at Aran’s affection, glanced at the Grand Duke with concern.

Feeling his gaze, the Grand Duke patted Aran and reassured Ed.

“Unless I use multiple high-tier spells simultaneously, this is nothing to worry about, Ed.”

“…But why did you summon Aran all of a sudden?”

Ed looked at Aran’s fluffy fur with a puzzled expression.

The Grand Duke, amused by Ed’s reaction, answered playfully.

“Well, I can’t let you pull this heavy cart, can I?”

Ed watched Aran pulling the cart, feeling uneasy.

‘Even if it doesn’t strain him, is it really okay to use the Duke’s magic for something like this? I could’ve just gone and fetched a horse from the camp myself.’

Meanwhile, Aran seemed blissfully unaware of Ed’s thoughts, happily trotting along as if enjoying a casual outing.

Watching Aran’s cheerful demeanor, Ed chuckled softly, feeling reminded of Ronen.

“Will Aran be okay pulling the cart alone?” Ed asked.

“Aran used to drag massive beasts around, so this cart is probably just a toy for him,” the Grand Duke replied.

“Well, as long as Aran’s okay…”

“And he does look thrilled to be out here for once.”

With the Grand Duke’s reassurance, Ed felt his worries ease and quietly walked beside him.

As they approached the camp, Ronen’s voice rang out.

“Hey! Brother!”

Ronen, running over, stopped in his tracks when he saw Aran next to them.

“Brother, is that wolf yours?”

“Oh, you haven’t met Aran before, have you?”