Chapter 60 – Thunderous Applause
Infiltrating the venue of the coronation ball went well.
After all, the structure of power has changed so much that all the aristocrats are busy gathering information.
The coronation ball is the perfect occasion for this.
They don’t have time to worry about strangers who look like commoners.
“Seriously. If you’d followed me straight from the start, I wouldn’t have had to pull this little stunt and you could have dressed more neatly…”
“Ah! Nii-san, look there! Target found!”
Yuzuriha-san was saying something, but our eyes were glued to one part of the venue.
Sushi.
The Sushi stall.
It’s all-you-can-eat fine sushi! Yahoo!
“But Suzuha, we still can’t.”
“Why are you stopping me, Nii-san!?”
“Of course I want to run towards the sushi right now. But first we have to say hello to Touko-san. We’re getting sushi for free, so we shouldn’t be rude, right?”
“As expected of Nii-san…!”
“Oh, no, no. It’s only natural for you all to greet the host at a party, right? After all, let’s not forget that it’s a coronation ball in the first place.”
Yuzuriha-san looked appalled, but she has no idea how difficult it is for ordinary people to exercise self-control when faced with an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. That’s why they’re so noble.
We quickly found Touko-san.
Touko-san was conversing with some aristocrats at the far end of the hall. In front of her, there was a long line of aristocrats waiting to greet Touko-san. Well, that’s a matter of course.
“Hmm…”
“What are we going to do, Nii-san? Do we get in that queue?”
“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea to queue among the aristocrats now. It would take too long and it would be out of place… Let’s just say a quick hello when the queue breaks.”
“But today is the enthronement ceremony, and I’m afraid there will never be an end to the line of people waiting to greet the new queen.”
“Hmm…”
This is troubling…
I think it is good manners to say hello before diving into the all-you-can-eat buffet, but commoners who stand in line with the aristocrats are typically ignorant of the atmosphere.
Then it occurred to me. This time it was an emergency and there was no other choice.
So I thought that if I asked Yuzuriha-san, who is a great aristocrat, to give a message to Touko-san, and then dashed to the sushi stall as soon as she got the message, I could at least maintain the minimum level of courtesy.
—Here, I should not think that a commoner is allowed to take advantage of the great aristocrat, Yuzuriha-san. That would ruin my chances of free sushi.
“Excuse me, Yuzuriha-san. I’m very sorry, but I have one request.”
“I know. Don’t mention it.”
“As expected of Yuzuriha-san! I can rely on you!”
“Fufu. I’m your partner, of course I know that. And I’m confident in the volume of my voice.”
The volume of your voice? What’s wrong with the volume of your voice? As I was wondering what she meant…
Yuzuriha-san took a completely unexpected and outrageous action .
She suddenly called out loudly to Touko-san from where we were!
“Your Majesty the Queen! The man who saved your life has arrived!”
I was startled.
All eyes in the hall turned to us at once.
When I looked at Toko-san timidly at the unexpected situation, she beckoned me with a smile on her face. Why?
Yuzuriha-san also gave me a thumbs-up, feeling that she did a good job.
“Come on, you, go on.”
“Isn’t it disrespectful to mix with that mess of aristocrats…?”
“It would be disrespectful not to obey the Queen when she beckons. Just get on with it.”
Yuzuriha-san pushed me to walk away.
As I approached with trepidation, something incredible happened again.
The aristocrats who had been present here and there moved away from the straight line connecting me and Touko-san like a receding wave.
It was as if they didn’t want to disturb me.
And…
Clap…clap…clap, clap, clap…!
—The applause from the audience quickly spread, and soon the whole hall was thundering with applause.
It was as if to welcome the hero of salvation who had finally appeared.
There was no turning back now, so I managed to reach Touko-san—
