Early afternoon.
“Are we leaving now?”
“Yes.”
As planned, I stood in front of the carriage, preparing to accompany the young lady to the tea party we had been invited to.
The carriage before me was one I had rarely seen—the young lady’s personal carriage. It was a luxurious, glossy black vehicle adorned with silver patterns.
Considering we were only heading to another mansion within the capital, it seemed a bit excessive. Yet, the two black horses and the dedicated coachman waiting at the front made it clear—this was the Boyd family.
A carriage like this in broad daylight?
It would definitely attract attention wherever we went.
“Get in!”
“Understood.”
Well, at least I’d be traveling in comfort.
“Take care.”
“…Got it.”
I greeted Darren and Kaiden, who would be escorting us on horseback outside, and stepped into the carriage.
They had to follow on horseback—if the escort knights rode inside, they wouldn’t be able to detect any threats in advance.
But since I played the role of Lowell, I was allowed to ride with the young lady.
“Sit here comfortably.”
“Thank you, young lady.”
The interior of the carriage was incredibly comfortable.
Soft seats, elegant curtains, and even a suspension system that minimized shaking.
A subtle lighting feature made it feel suitable for long-distance travel.
“You know whose tea party we’re attending today, right?”
“Yes, it’s hosted by Lady Rosewill.”
Our destination was the mansion of the Rosewill Viscount family.
They were a rising noble family, having accumulated immense wealth during the recent war.
Of course, they weren’t the only ones who had profited. In the Adel Kingdom, where the war had only recently ended, such cases were common.
“We’ve arrived.”
It didn’t take long to reach the Rosewill estate.
Honestly, in the capital, noble estates were all within a similar distance. We could’ve walked here instead of taking the carriage.
“Welcome. Please, come inside.”
The mansion’s staff and even the head of the Rosewill family were outside to greet us.
“It is an honor to meet you.”
…Was it normal for the head of the household to personally welcome guests to a tea party?
Then again, considering that the young lady, the daughter of the Marquis Boyd, was the guest, it made sense.
“It is my honor as well, Viscount Rosewill.”
As I stood beside Aria, watching her carefully follow etiquette during the greeting, I noticed the surrounding nobles’ gazes shifting toward me.
“And this gentleman is…?”
“He is my escort knight, Sir Rain.”
“Ah! The knight who played a significant role in defeating the devil worshippers at the Kaine Mountain Range?”
“Hoho, you recognize him.”
…My name had spread?
It was a little strange to be recognized by nobles.
Anyway, after the formal greetings, we were finally led to the garden where the tea party was being held.
“You’ve arrived, Lady Aria.”
“Please, have a seat here.”
The noble ladies, dressed in their finest, had been waiting for the young lady and eagerly offered her the seat of honor.
“Thank you.”
Aria accepted the seat as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
…Was this really okay?
Technically, Lady Rosewill was the host, but considering the difference in status, this arrangement seemed appropriate.
“Thank you all for coming today.”
“Oh, of course! A fellow student invited us; how could we refuse?”
“It’s so nice seeing everyone outside of the academy….”
With the tea party in full swing, I had hoped I could simply stand quietly and wait.
But then—
“Oh! Isn’t that…?”
“Yes, it’s Puppy.”
“He’s such a splendid knight.”
“So dignified and strong-looking.”
The noble ladies had now taken an interest in me.
“Our Puppy is quite impressive.”
“Indeed, he looks just like a knight from a storybook.”
…Storybook knight, huh?
As expected of noble ladies, even their compliments were dramatic.
Did I really look like that?
Sure, I was well-groomed, but I was tall enough to seem intimidating.
Comparing myself to the other knights… well, there weren’t any others here.
Of course. Who would bring their escort knight into a tea party’s garden?
Aria had simply ignored conventions and brought me along, which naturally drew attention.
Apart from a few maids quietly waiting in the background, there weren’t any other attendants around.
Darren and Kaiden were likely waiting outside the garden.
To be honest, I would’ve preferred to wait outside as well, but…
I couldn’t be too cautious.
After all, devil worshippers were known to dig tunnels for ambushes.
Who knew if they were lurking nearby?
The young lady had learned a lot of magic at the academy, but real combat was a different matter.
That’s why, despite feeling awkward, I remained standing nearby.
“Wooow… You’re really tall.”
“Taller than the knights at my family’s estate!”
“What do you eat to grow so big?”
Before I knew it, the noble ladies had surrounded me.
“Hmm, my Puppy is rather tall.”
The young lady, the only one leisurely drinking tea, made no effort to help me.
I would have preferred it if she had.
Having maids crowd around was one thing, but noble ladies were a different matter—I had to be careful with my behavior.
Especially since they weren’t grown men, but girls around the young lady’s age.
I had to be mindful of every action.
Even so…
“Your skin is so nice!”
“Wow, your hands are huge!”
As I stood still, the noble ladies gradually closed the distance between us.
In the end, I had no choice but to look directly at Aria.
“Puppy, come here.”
Receiving my gaze, she called me over as if she were summoning a pet—helping me out in her own way.
“Yes, young lady.”
I moved very slowly, careful not to accidentally brush against any of the noble ladies as I made my way toward Aria.
But then—
“Here.”
She extended her hand toward me.
Her lips twitched slightly as if she were itching to show me off even more.
Good grief.
Fine, I’ll play along.
“You did well.”
As I knelt on one knee to match her eye level, she gently stroked my head.
“Oh my….”
“That’s the same gesture as before….”
“How could he allow that…?”
The noble ladies watched with wide eyes, practically stomping their feet in excitement.
…What exactly was I doing right now?
“Um… excuse me.”
Just then, one of the ladies cautiously approached me.
“Why do you call him ‘Puppy’?”
That… was faster than I expected.
Honestly, I’d been wondering when someone would ask.
I was no longer a slave—I was now a proper knight.
Yet, the young lady still called me ‘Puppy’.
It was only natural that they would be curious.
“Yes, is there a special reason for the nickname?”
“It just stuck after calling him that for so long.”
“You must share a deep bond.”
“Mhm. I picked him up when I was little.”
“…Huh? The young lady did?”
Hearing this, I naturally turned my attention to Aria.
If she was referring to my childhood, it had to be around the time I escaped from the Colosseum.
Back then, her crimson eyes gleamed with an eerie light.
“H-How did you pick him up?”
“Where did you find such a knight…?”
I was curious to hear her thoughts on what she did back then.
But—
“Hmm, I don’t really remember the details.”
Aria tilted her head a few times before answering vaguely.
“It’s been a long time, after all.”
“Oh, of course. Memories do fade over time.”
The noble ladies nodded in understanding at her ambiguous response, but I scrutinized her expression carefully.
Was she avoiding the question?
Or did she truly not remember?
I couldn’t tell, but it was something I needed to keep in mind for later.
For now, though…
“Um, would it be alright if I patted his head too?”
“Oh my, Lady Rosewill, that might be inappropriate for a knight.”
“A-Ah, it’s just… his hair looks so soft….”
“Well, I do agree with that, but still…”
I wanted this tea party to end already.
And now, the noble ladies were even considering patting my head?
I turned my gaze toward the young lady.
“Young lady.”
“No, you can’t.”
Thankfully, she didn’t allow it.
“He’s a knight now, so only I can pat his head.”
As she spoke, she ran her hand through my hair again.
…So, if I were still a Puppy, it would’ve been fine?
What kind of nonsense was that?
“Oh, I see… I suppose I asked something inappropriate.”
“It’s fine.”
Well, whatever.
“Anyway, during the next break, everyone…”
After spending some time talking about me, the noble ladies eventually shifted the conversation toward their own topics, which was more fitting for a tea party.
They all attended the same magic academy, so they had plenty to discuss—like catching up with friends during a school break.
“Then, excuse me for a moment.”
Taking advantage of the topic change, I subtly stepped away from the table.
The real issue had been that I was standing too close as a bodyguard.
As long as I could keep an eye on Aria’s safety, that was enough.
If I had to come to another tea party in the future, I’d be sure to keep my distance from the start.
Finally—
“This was a lovely time.”
“Yes, young lady, it was an honor.”
“Please do come again next time.”
After an extended period of chatter, the tea party finally came to an end.
“Let’s go, Puppy.”
“Yes.”
Exhausted in both mind and body, I followed Aria out of the garden, where Darren and Kaiden were waiting.
“How was the tea party?”
“Next time, you go in, Darren.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes.”
Darren looked bewildered, but I was completely serious.
I’d rather fight devil worshippers in battle.
The tea party had only lasted half a day, yet it was the most exhausting experience I’d had in a long time.
