Chapter 198: Mercer Cravel 2

Cleenah tightened her grip a little on the cane in her hand.

She had actually been preparing herself for some time, but now that the planned event was finally about to begin, the girl felt a little nervous.

’...Everything will be fine.’

Cleenah tried to reassure herself.

Today, several fairly influential Dragon Clans had finally arrived in the Qiezhuran, including the Drazhuel. And to welcome their arrival, a gathering of Clan leaders had been arranged.

But calling it a gathering might not be entirely accurate.

It was a party.

There were no formal discussions or special agenda to complete. The Clan leaders would simply gather, enjoy the food, and speak with one another before the Primordial Legacy Festival began.

At least, that was the purpose for which the party was held.

’...Umm. I only have to welcome them as usual.’

Cleenah straightened her green hair a little, then made sure the white cloth covering her eyes was still properly in place.

To other people, she was only a Dragon girl in poor health. The trouble with her eyes was no stranger to them, so no one questioned too much why she always covered them.

And Cleenah wanted it to stay that way.

"Lady Cleenah, the guests have begun to arrive."

A servant’s voice came from near the door.

"Ah, alright! I’ll be there shortly."

Cleenah answered cheerfully, then began to walk with her cane.

She actually had a great many things to worry about. Especially when she thought about who would attend the party, and what they might be planning while in the Qiezhuran.

But there was no use showing all that to the guests.

After all, she was the host.

At the very least, Cleenah wanted to make sure they received a good welcome.

***

The main hall used for the party had been prepared quite beautifully.

Crystal lamps lit the spacious room, while several long tables were filled with food and drink prepared for the guests. Soft music could be heard from one side of the hall, mingling with the sound of conversation that was gradually growing livelier.

A few Clan leaders could already be seen gathered in small groups. Some had come with their attendants, while others went straight to meet people they already knew.

Cleenah could hear their conversations from all directions.

From discussions of the journey to the Qiezhuran and the state of their respective territories, to the Primordial Legacy Festival that would soon take place.

All of it sounded quite ordinary.

"Ah, Lady Cleenah!"

A man with gray horns came over at once when he noticed her.

"Thank you for the invitation. It’s been quite a while since I last attended a party in the Qiezhuran."

"Welcome! I’m glad you could come."

Cleenah greeted him with a sweet smile.

"How was your journey? I hope there were no problems on the way here."

"None. The journey was quite pleasant, especially since we didn’t have to rush."

"That’s good!"

The man nodded, then looked at Cleenah for a moment.

"I’ve heard a few reports about the Qiezhuran’s situation lately."

"Ah, about that...."

Cleenah tilted her head slightly.

"There are indeed a few small matters, but they can all still be handled."

"Is that so? Then I’m glad to hear it."

The man smiled faintly.

"In any case, our Clan has no intention of interfering in the Qiezhuran’s affairs. We only came to attend the festival and enjoy gatherings like this."

’...Lie.’

Cleenah kept her smile in place.

"Fufu, of course! I hope you can enjoy the festival this time, too."

After exchanging a few more words, the man finally asked to be excused to meet other guests.

Cleenah let him go without showing any different reaction.

’...Even the first one is already like this.’

She wasn’t actually very surprised.

The man had spoken very politely, without showing the slightest hostility. But his words about not wanting to interfere in the Qiezhuran’s affairs clearly did not match the truth.

And of course, Cleenah had no reason to reveal it.

No one knew about her Eyes of Essence.

If she suddenly accused a Clan leader of lying without evidence, the party might turn into something troublesome.

So Cleenah only had to listen to them.

"Lady Cleenah, so you’re already here."

Another voice drew her attention.

This time, a tall Dragon approached her with two attendants. His appearance was fairly neat, with clothes that seemed to have been prepared especially for attending the party.

"Welcome! I hope your journey went well."

"Of course. It’s only that I was rather surprised when I saw the state of the Qiezhuran."

"...Surprised?"

"Yes, I thought you would be too busy handling various problems to hold a party this lavish."

The man laughed softly.

"It seems the Qiezhuran still has quite a lot of time for enjoyment."

Cleenah was silent for a moment.

’...Ah.’

She could understand the meaning of those words.

But instead of showing offense, Cleenah simply nodded innocently.

"Umm! Of course, we couldn’t possibly let our guests attend the festival without giving them a good welcome."

"...I see."

The man seemed to lose the chance to continue his barbs.

Cleenah then added in a gentle voice.

"Especially since you’ve come from quite a distant place. I’d feel bad if you couldn’t enjoy your visit."

"...Hahaha! You are truly very thoughtful, Lady Cleenah."

The man laughed again.

"Don’t misunderstand my earlier words. I had no intention at all of belittling the Qiezhuran."

’...Another lie.’

Cleenah almost wanted to sigh.

But she only replied with a small smile.

"It’s alright. I’m not offended."

"Good. In that case, I’ll enjoy the food you’ve prepared."

"Of course, please do!"

After the man left, Cleenah slowly loosened her grip on the cane.

’...They really can’t speak any more kindly, can they?’

She actually didn’t mind if someone wanted to discuss the Qiezhuran’s shortcomings directly. At the very least, through a conversation like that, there might still be something she could fix.

But delivering barbs while pretending to have no intention at all was rather troublesome.

All the more so when Cleenah already knew that their words weren’t honest.

Even so, she didn’t let it interfere with her duty as host.

There were still many guests to welcome.

***

As the party went on, the hall grew more and more crowded.

The Clan leaders who had earlier spoken only in small groups began to visit one another, exchange greetings, and discuss various matters. Some could even be seen enjoying the food while laughing with old acquaintances.

From the outside, the party seemed to be going very well.

Cleenah had already spoken with quite a lot of people. Some only offered greetings and asked after her health, while a few began to discuss the Qiezhuran’s situation more seriously.

And not all of them behaved badly.

"Lady Cleenah, I’ve heard that you have worked very hard since taking over the leadership of the Qiezhuran."

This time, a woman with slender horns approached her with a warm smile.

"Ah, not really. I still have a lot to learn."

"Don’t belittle yourself. Leading a Clan at such a young age certainly isn’t easy."

Cleenah felt a little happy hearing that.

"Thank you. I’ll try to do even better."

The woman nodded.

"If the Qiezhuran ever needs help, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our Clan will always be willing to help you."

’...Ah.’

Cleenah’s smile did not change.

"Really? Then thank you so much!"

"Of course. We should help one another, shouldn’t we?"

"Umm! I think so too."

They spoke of a few more light matters before finally parting.

But as the woman walked away, Cleenah couldn’t stop herself from lowering her head slightly.

’...What a pity.’

Compared with the Clan leader who had earlier needled her, that woman was certainly much more pleasant to talk to.

Her manner was gentle, her words sounded sincere, and she even offered support without being asked.

Unfortunately, that promise to help the Qiezhuran was also a lie.

Cleenah actually wanted to believe her.

But the Eyes of Essence didn’t give the answer she hoped for.

’...Why does everything have to be like this?’

For a moment, Cleenah felt a little tired.

She didn’t know how many of those guests truly hoped the Qiezhuran would be in good condition. Some openly belittled her Clan, some pretended to be neutral, and some offered support with words so sweet.

But every time the conversation touched on loyalty or the intention to help the Qiezhuran, a lie always surfaced.

And what made her even more uncomfortable was that everyone could still laugh together as if there were no problem between them.

’...Umm, it’s alright.’

Cleenah lifted her head again.

She still had work to do.

Meanwhile, the discomfort in her eyes began to feel a little more distinct. Cleenah held back the urge to touch the white cloth covering them, then adjusted the position of her cane so she could stand more comfortably.

A servant who was nearby came over at once.

"Lady Cleenah, would you like to rest for a moment?"

"Ah, I’m fine."

"But you’ve been standing for quite a while."

"Fufu, then I’ll sit for a bit later. Thank you for worrying about me."

The servant finally nodded.

Cleenah looked at the atmosphere of the party again.

She had already managed to welcome most of the important guests who had come. Although a few conversations had been unpleasant, at least no major problem had occurred during the event.

But there was still one person she hadn’t met.

Mercer Cravel.

The leader of the Drazhuel was scheduled to attend the party along with the other Clan leaders, but so far, Cleenah hadn’t seen him.

And compared with the conversations with the earlier guests, meeting Mercer was something that worried her far more.

’...I wonder what he’ll say.’

Cleenah honestly didn’t know how Mercer would treat her.

Even so, she had prepared herself to welcome him as she would any other Clan leader. No matter what was happening between the Qiezhuran and the Drazhuel, Cleenah still wanted to keep the party going well.

She drew a small breath, then put her smile back on.

But just as she was about to greet another guest, a small change began to take place around the entrance of the hall.

Several conversations slowly stopped.

The Clan leaders who had been busy chatting began turning their attention in the same direction. Even those quite far from the door seemed to look on once they realized who had just arrived.

Cleenah turned at once as well.

Among the guests present tonight, there were not many figures who could draw so much attention merely by showing their presence.

All the more so when that person was a Rank-SS Dragon.

And now, right at the entrance of the hall, Mercer Cravel had finally arrived.