My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 50

“Are we all set?”

“Yeees!”

Tina, fluttering in her pink dress, hurriedly approached me with quick steps.

It was a frilly dress in shades of pink that matched her youthful appearance perfectly. The simple yet pure vibe that was uniquely Tina made her look even more radiant.

However, it was a shame that the gems embedded here and there made it hard to shake off the impression of it being too extravagant.

One could say that her desire to show off was quite noble-like and suited for a banquet, but since we weren’t going to impress any nobles or the Emperor, it was meaningless.

“Not bad.”

I said as I adjusted her outfit.

“Hehe!”

Meanwhile, Iris and Maria shot her envious glances. Don’t worry, you’ll wear something like it someday, so don’t be too upset.

“You look cool too, Teacher.”

In contrast to Tina’s flashy dress, I was wearing a plain black tailcoat.

I slightly loosened my cravat and nodded.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“See you later!”

Tina waved her hands enthusiastically. Iris and Maria bowed their waists.

Ariel looked at me quietly and then snapped her fingers. A green aura began to wrap around my body.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s the wind’s blessing. It’ll protect you if anything happens. It wouldn’t be good if you got hurt.”

“Ariel, it’s not like I’m up against just anyone but Lord Praus. I wouldn’t stand a chance against the Demon King!”

“Even so, it’s best if you don’t get directly involved, Teacher. If you get angry, you might just destroy the entire Imperial Palace.”

“……”

At Iris and Maria’s words, I couldn’t even muster a chuckle anymore.

Since it was something that couldn’t be undone anyway, I figured it would be better for my mental state to just not react and play it cool.

“Tina, keep a close eye on Teacher so he doesn’t get involved.”

“Yep! Don’t worry! Anyone who approaches Teacher will get knocked out by me!”

Please don’t actually knock them out…

“I’ll be back.”

With their send-off, I stepped out of the inn.

As I moved toward the stables where Delma was, a luxurious carriage in a harmonious blend of blue and white blocked our path.

With a bear emblem prominently displayed, it was easy to tell it belonged to a noble family.

“…What are you doing here?”

As I spoke, the door swung open with a bang.

“Lord Praus!”

Ella Todiah dashed towards me, calling my name.

Her blue and black dress elegantly complemented her stature, embodying the image of a grand duchess that many longed to see.

“Ella Todiah…”

“Yes! It’s Ella Todiah. Lord Praus, have you been well?”

“……That’s right.”

“The outfit for the New Year’s Eve gala suits you well. It’s not flashy but neat, which is just my taste.”

“I’m not trying to dress to your taste.”

I wore it deliberately to avoid drawing attention, so what’s up with her taste commentary?

“More importantly, you noticed right away that I’m going to the New Year’s gala.”

“How could someone as capable as Lord Praus not be invited?”

“You’ve been keeping an eye on me since I left two months ago, haven’t you?”

I interrupted her as I queried.

“…Oh? Did I get caught? Hehe.”

How could I not know? Ariel warned me there are always eyes watching us.

“I hear you’ve been focusing on training the kids recently. Are you nurturing your successors?”

Her gaze shifted to Tina.

“No.”

“Hmm~ Well, no matter how much of a big deal Lord Praus is, I suppose you can’t refuse an invitation from the Royal Family?”

With a sly smile, Ella asked.

“That’s…”

“Exactly. There’s no need to break ties with the Imperial Family. Someone of Lord Praus’s caliber could easily ascend to Count.”

She patted my shoulder, cheerfully.

That hurt. It felt like my bones were aching. I would probably have sore shoulders by nightfall.

“……I’m not here to attract the attention of the Royal Family.”

“Are you just showing off in front of a lady? Hehe, how cute.”

It’s really not like that at all.

I merely intended to take care of business and head back. I had no intention of lingering in a place swarming with the pointless formalities of nobles.

As I was letting her words wash over me, a towering man with brilliantly shimmering blue hair approached from behind.

He looked almost two meters tall. Or precisely 197 centimeters.

“Are you Praus?”

Just from the sound of his voice, I could feel the powerful aura dominating the atmosphere around us.

“Glair Todiah.”

He was the father of Ella Todiah and the Grand Duke of the Northern region.

“That’s the Grand Duke. Your manners seem to be in disarray.”

“……”

I wanted to apologize, but my lips felt like they were itching to blurt out something rude.

“Let’s cut to the chase. I thank you for saving my daughter, but I cannot accept an engagement with a commoner.”

“I’m not expecting one.”

I replied sharply.

“What?!”

He shot me a glare filled with fire.

“How dare you disrespect our Todiah family’s ‘only’ daughter?!”

What kind of delusion is he under? He just said he wouldn’t accept the engagement, and now he thinks I’m insulting her because I’m willing to give it up?

Even if he is a ‘daughter fool,’ this is just too much.

“I never did that.”

“This brat even dares to speak informally! Who do you think is standing before you?!”

An overwhelming pressure saturated the air. It felt like gravity was weighing down on me.

I thought that magicians recognized by the Empire had a different aura, but I didn’t feel like apologizing at all.

But I couldn’t just keep accepting this intimidation indefinitely.

“Let’s stop. I never thought a commoner like me would ever be a match for Princess Ella anyway.”

“Are you trying to provoke me? Or do you want to fight here?”

[Skill “Killing Intent” activated.]

“Kek!”

Glaring into my eyes, Glair instinctively froze. Before I knew it, a staff appeared in his hand.

In response, Tina placed her hand on her sword. It seemed she was ready to go all out.

“What in the world…! What is that grim killing intent?!”

“Glair!”

The knights of the Todiah family quickly surrounded him for protection.

“Princess Ella, that man is dangerous! Please move away!”

“Ugh…! This killing intent! It’s suffocating my body like I’m a cold-blooded creature! It drives me insane.”

I’m the one who feels like I’m going insane because of you.

Ignoring the worried voices of the knights, Ella wrapped her arms around herself, unable to conceal her excitement.

“……Lord Praus, let’s stop this. No matter how capable you are, it wouldn’t end well to make the Grand Duke your enemy. Besides, we’re supposed to get engaged, right?”

She smiled and patted my shoulder. I grabbed her hand and pulled it away.

“I’m not getting engaged. Don’t say whatever you want.”

I said, relaxing the tension in my eyes.

“At the New Year’s event, I won’t acknowledge the Todiah family, so don’t worry. Let’s go, Tina.”

“Yes~!”

As I took the lead, Tina released her grip on her sword and followed me.

*

As Praus and Tina left, only the Todiah family remained in front of the inn.

“Ella, that guy is dangerous.”

Glair, who approached Ella, gritted his teeth.

Having already heard numerous rumors about Praus, he intentionally raised the atmosphere to gauge his strength.

However, now that he tried to kneel before someone even stronger, he couldn’t help but be wary.

“Oh, really… I was trying to enter the banquet hall with Lord Praus! But my father ruined it!”

“Well, you could still go in with your father.”

“Ugh, so frustrating! Stupid Dad! Don’t talk to me for the rest of the day!”

“E-Ella…!”

When Ella got angry, Glair backed down.

Glair, who was praised wherever he went in the Empire, found the one person he could never win against was his own daughter, Ella Todiah.

He once said being scolded by his daughter was far more frightening than facing his wife, so that was saying something.

*

Showing the invitation to the gatekeeper, we entered.

No noble would dare arrive at a banquet in an old carriage, so the gatekeepers exchanged puzzled looks several times but allowed us to pass.

“Oh….”

It was a castle of magnificence that couldn’t be compared to anything.

Even looking up didn’t reveal the end of its vast outline— it inspired awe.

“It’s huge. Teacher.”

“Indeed.”

“Thanks to Lord Praus, I’m getting to see the Imperial Palace. Life is full of surprises.”

From the walls to the buildings of the palace, it seemed to stretch for several kilometers.

No wonder nobles traveled in carriages to enter.

“What kind of person must the Emperor living in such a place be to deserve this treatment?”

“…It’s not because the Emperor is extraordinary, but because he inherited the legacy of his predecessors who contributed significantly to establishing the Empire.”

It might be a bit misleading to refer to it as simply “inherited.”

After all, he ended up on the throne following the Succession War.

Whether intended or not, all born into the royal bloodline were targets of scrutiny.

Only by completely eliminating one’s kin could they finally ascend to become the Emperor.

So even if one had no interest in the wealth or honor of the Royal Family, being born as royalty meant one could only prepare to win or die.

Unfortunately.

“What must it feel like to live in a place like that?”

“At the very least, you would likely lose interest in how others live.”

Being a royal entails being busy, but it also means that one would be judged in every way by the words they read, leading them to pursue only profit in that sense.

“…We’ll never have to live there. Don’t even think about it.”

“Yes. I won’t even think about living there. I prefer enjoying delicious food and resting with you just as we are now.”

She said this with a modest smile.