Although she took a leisurely break from eating, the meal itself was an early breakfast and lunch (brunch), so Marial's "visitor reception" began "early in the afternoon."
The hotel had explained in advance that there would be a large number of guests. It seemed that Count Maslius took care of this when he made a reservation for this place.
Moreover, since this was a high-class inn, influential people and celebrities sometimes stayed here, so it seemed that they were used to such things. That's why it's a set of 5 rooms, including a guest room for press conferences, and it seemed to be a special room with an expensive accommodation fee.
However, according to the Count's story, the people at the inn said, "It's an honor to be able to stay with your beloved child. I heard that they would say things like, please do whatever you want," so even if a visitor were to cause a dispute, the inn would probably take your side. Even if the visitor was a person of high status.
In other words, as an inn, we should "Protect our guests. ...as long as it's not a criminal." Was it natural to take the attitude that? There was no way an inn that sold its customers to powerful people could call itself a luxury store. If they did something like that to Marial, I'll make them unnamed. ...Physically.
Well, that's how it started, dealing with visitors...
The first person to be let through seemed to be from an aristocratic family. Apparently people were lining up before dawn.
It was announced in advance that Marial would be meeting guests here from this afternoon. And some of his vassals had been staying at this inn since arriving in the capital, so they would have been accepted even if it was early in the morning...
"Both the vassals and the people at the inn are a nuisance, aren’t they?" ()
She must had woken me up while I was still sleeping.
Marial smiled bitterly at my words.
Well, that kind of thing was part of a vassal's job, so I guessed they had let him stay here first in preparation for something like that. ...On the other hand, it might be better just because there was no one staying up all night.
I couldn't bear to stand in line all night and have my friends talk loudly and make strange noises all night because they had free time. They would call for security.
"But the fact that they waited in line for such a long time means that it was probably their vassals, not the nobles themselves." (Marial)
As Marial says, there was no way a noble could endure such austerity. They would simply line up their vassals and deliver a message inviting them to their residence or something like that. Marial didn't accept that though.
Of course, we did not allow those who line up to be replaced by others.
Because if we admit that, there would definitely be a lot of people who would line up the people hired for money.
Such a person had no right to meet his "beloved child". This was clearly stated in the announcement.
Inside the room, Marial sat at one end of an oval table, and her retainers sat on either side of her. Furthermore, Roland was sitting to the right, me to the left, and Francette to my left.
Of course, this seating arrangement was Francette's last-minute compromise so that she could protect Marial even if the guests attacked her, and also protected me before that happened. With this, even if a customer sitting at the opposite end pulled out a hidden weapon and attacked them, Francette and Roland would definitely be able to stop them.
...Also, there's also the need to position ourselves so that Marial could see the signals from us and our vassals who were investigating various things about the capital.
Belle and Emile with Rayette-chan were sitting in chairs lined up behind Marial. Since these two didn't listen to my offer to protect me, I couldn't leave Rayette-chan alone in enemy territory, and things ended up like this.
The first person to enter the room was...
"Nice to meet you, I'm Baron Dorivell."
They are older men, but he is a baron and Marial is a viscount. Besides, the other side is coming to see Marial, so naturally Marial is the one in the higher rank.
But even though I understand that, it still seemed difficult to use honorific language for a young girl who was not yet an adult...
Well, since he's a nobleman, I thought he could handle that much. He might even talk to an earl younger than himself, or the son of a marquis.
...Or rather, it wasn't the vassals, but the heads of the aristocratic families themselves who had been waiting in line since before dawn!
That spirit alone was important.
So, I wondered what kind of story the aristocrat wanted to tell Marial if he went that far...
"My Dorivell family, like the Viscount Reifel family, was saved by a goddess. If anything happens to us, we will do our best to help you. Please feel free to rely on me." (Baron)
Huh? That's?
"I will never forget that you saved my eldest son, Charlotte, with the goddess's secret medicine. And I will tell my children and grandchildren, my Baron Dorivell family, about this, and I will call upon them at any time. Toaraba Hase-sanji, I vow to join you at the end of the battle as the Goddess's spearhead. I will dedicate everything of my clan to you..." (Baron)
...So, was he slightly changing the direction of her body so that he's facing me instead of Marial?
But I was wearing a mask at that time, right? I shouldn't have shown my face...
However, these words were clearly not intended for Marial. In that case...
I gently, faintly nodded. If I didn't pay attention to it, I'd think it was just a slight shaking of my head, so slight...
Then, the Baron bowed his head with a big smile on his face. ...towards me.
...Totally...
Well, okay!
"I hope you can help Marial-sama in this crisis…" (Kaoru)
When I interjected, pretending to be a maid... there's no way a maid would interfere in a conversation between a master and another noble, but... The baron nodded again, and then... had a practical discussion with Marial and resigned.
"Kaoru-sama, what you're talking about now..." (Marial)
You called me, but there are only us, Marial's retainers, and servants here, so it's okay.
"I once cured that eldest son who was sick. That's all." (Kaoru)
""""........""""
For some reason, the entire Viscount Reifel family looked shocked.
Huh, was there anything in the line I just said that surprised them?
Reorganize and get ready for the next visitor.
"Ah..."
"Huh? Ah..."
The visitor and I lock eyes and freeze.
Yes, we know each other. ...Of the four merchants who came from the capital to the "convenient shop Bell", he was the one who tried to escape.
"Why are you here……"
No, even if you say that, I don't know...
"No, I was temporarily hired as a maid by a viscount on an expedition to the capital, but what is that?" (Kaoru)
It's not like I have a hierarchical relationship with you, so it's a tame mouth, a tame mouth!
"......"
The merchant, whose name was Elecdil, had a strange look on his face, but as if he couldn't think of anything to say, he ignored me and spoke to Marial.
"Thank you for meeting with me this time. My 'Griffon Company'..."
However, two of my vassals and I have already sent a sign with our hands on the table.
"A person who cannot be trusted"
"A person who cannot be trusted"
"A person who cannot be trusted"
Yes, my two vassals and I all agreed.
Marial gave a slight nod and would do whatever she wanted without making any promises.
"……all the best……"
A few minutes later, Marial ignored all of the other party's requests and ended the interview in the shortest possible time without making any promises or statements, chanted a spell of good morning (quickly return home), and drove Elecdil away.
Elecdil still looked like he wanted to talk, but it seemed like he wasn't so shameless as to give in even though he was being so blatantly urged to leave.
Well, it might be because Francette wasn't dressed as a maid today, but in her usual knight gear, and she was putting her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"Yes, next one~!"
Then an old man dressed like a merchant entered the room.
"Ah"
"Ah"
...Yeah, the four merchants at that time were of almost the same class, and they were business owners who were making waves in the capital.
If that's the case, it's no surprise that he's behaving in the same pattern as the merchant from earlier, Elecdil. No, there's no way he wouldn't come when he said, "My beloved child, who I went all the way to see but couldn't meet, came from over there." ...That's natural.