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“Yes.”

A day had passed since I parted ways with Serena, and it was now the day of my birthday party.

I disliked birthday parties to the point I didn’t want to attend them if I didn’t have to, but what choice did I have when it was being hosted by the Imperial family?

“The carriage is waiting outside and will be able to leave at a moment’s notice.”

“Got it. Thanks for always taking care of everything.”

At the very least, it was a relief that I had a few companions who were aware of my situation this time around. With Serena and Kania by my side, I felt like I’d be able to somewhat endure the dreadful event full of nauseating fallacy.

“Frey, are you heading off to your birthday party?”

“Ah, Irina.”

As I left the room while preoccupied with such thoughts, Irina, who was waiting for me, greeted me.

“Yes, I am the star of the party after all.”

“Would you like me to accompany you? There could be more assassins, right?”

Seems like Irina is quite concerned for my well-being. Then again, I guess it can’t be helped, considering the events that transpired ever since she discovered the truth about me.

“You don’t have to worry so much. Kania will be accompanying me, and I also acquired a skill that recovers my life-force more quickly.”

“Still…”

“I’ll be fine so just get some rest while checking up on Lulu occasionally.”

Irina silently nodded. A thought crossed my mind, so I asked Irina.

“Oh right. Didn’t you say you were going to go somewhere as well?”

“…Yes, something important came up. I’ll probably be gone for a while.”

Judging from how she looked grim as she nodded, it must be quite important to her.

“Alright. I don’t know what it is, but I hope it goes well for you.”

I patted her shoulders in encouragement, then headed downstairs with Kania.

“Oh, Lulu. Were you waiting for us all this time?”

“Y-Yes…”

When we reached the lobby, I noticed Lulu was timidly waiting for me.

“You’re aware you’ll officially be attending the party as my ‘servant,’ correct?

“Yes…”

“But of course… the real reason for your attendance is to show you off to my ‘shadow friends.’”

A look of fright emerged on Lulu’s face.

“You don’t have to be so scared. They already own pets like yourself.”

“T-That means…”

“Keeping humans as pets has become a trend amongst the aristocrats. My friends in particular, are especially fond of such a practice.”

Seeing how she’s glaring at me coldly, I think I’m successfully cultivating her antipathy towards me.

‘Damn bastards… Why are they holding a secret meeting at my birthday party.’

A sigh escaped my mouth as I left my house while lost in such thoughts.

Originally, I was going to invite my ‘shadow friends’ to my mansion separately and carry out my plans in secret.

Yet, they got so excited at the news that I finally got a pet that they all notified me they were going to bring their own servants they’re keeping as ‘pets.’ This whole ordeal was causing me a great deal of stress.

‘Still… it seems like I’ll be able to finish them all off in one fell swoop.’

At least it’s fortunate they’re all planning to meet up with me of their own volition. It saves me the trouble of scheduling their visits individually.

Therefore, I’ll definitely have to successfully carry out my plan during the party.

“Um… excuse me Lord Frey, I have a question.”

“A question?”

My train of thought was interrupted when Lulu inquired about my health while glancing in my direction with trembling eyes.

“By any chance… are you feeling unwell?”

“What?”

I tilted my head, unable to comprehend the reason for her question. Lulu hurriedly explained.

“J-just… you look a little worn-out.”

I gently patted her head with a smile.

“Already worrying about your owner… seems like you’ve become accustomed to being a pet?”

“Y-yes? Ah, yes…”

“Good, just continue like this. Also, I’m healthy so stop worrying.”

Having stated that, I carefully got on the carriage.

‘It’s risky… but it’s doable.’

Considering how there hadn’t been any unfortunate accidents around Lulu recently, the stigma seemed to have weakened considerably.

However, this peace had resulted in an increase in Lulu’s anxiety. To think she would even ask me about my well-being.

She seemed to be unaware that her stigma was getting weaker since she had never received so much affection before, but she would probably become accustomed to it eventually.

“We’ll now be departing!”

The coachman announced our departure.

“Come here, Lulu.”

“Y-yes…”

Once I got tired of watching the passing scenery, I called Lulu, who was sitting across from me.

“Aren’t you sleepy? Take a nap.”

“Aht? Ah-ahh…”

Seeing how she kept dozing off, I wondered if she had stayed up all night. I laid her down on my lap and gently stroked her hair.

“Haa-hm…”

She looked flustered, but she eventually shut her eyes and fell asleep.

She must have been quite tired. She even began talking in her sleep.

“Nyah…”

“…Eng?”

After observing my vicinity closely, I realized it wasn’t Lulu, but Kania who was producing noises while sleeping beside me.

“…I guess Kania would be tired too.”

She must be exhausted from helping me out with my duties as the Provisional Lord of the Starlight Duchy. I better let her rest well before we arrive at the party.

– Seuk…

I gently led Kania to lean on my shoulder.

“Mm…”

I knew letting her sleep peacefully was a good idea. She began grinning in her sleep.

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“He’s the first son of the Starlight Duchy and the Provisional Lord! Please welcome the main star of the party, Lord Frey Raon Starlight!”

‘What an unnecessarily excessive introduction…’

A servant loudly announced my entry as soon as I arrived at the ballroom prepared by the Imperial family. Everyone gazed in our direction as the clamorous ballroom quieted down.

“Uu, eugh…”

I gazed to my side and noticed Lulu groaning. She must have felt pressured with everyone directing their gazes on us.

“Lulu, what are you doing? Come in.”

“Ah… yes.”

Although Lulu felt pressured by the stares, it was a familiar sight for me. For better or worse, I’d always been the center of attention.

““………””

However, today was different from other occasions.

Instead of flocking to me like they usually do, the aristocrats were merely observing me from their seats.

I guess it’s to be expected considering all the events surrounding me during the last 3 months: The Raid on the Commoner’s Dormitory; the Holy Undead Knight Incident; and lastly, the rumors that I am a close aide of the Demon King.

Of course, they’re all false rumors, uh… I mean except for the last part, they’re all false. Yet, they’re all being accepted as reality in the noble society.

Therefore, no matter how high of a status I held, any calculative noble would want to maintain a distance from me.

In fact, if it weren’t for the Imperial family hosting my birthday party, half these individuals likely wouldn’t have attended.

“Lord Frey! Have you been well?”

“…Hm?”

Someone called out to me in a friendly voice even though I was just thinking how they were maintaining their distance.

“Ah, it’s you.”

I was wondering who it was, but it was one of my scumbag shadow friends.

“Please follow me. We already reserved a spot for you in another room.”

“Is everyone already there?”

“Of course. You finally found a pet so we should obviously get together.”

After having said so, he led me to a secluded room.

“Lord Frey, how come you haven’t been attending our meetings? It’s been very dull and boring without you.”

After ordering Kania to stand by and having Lulu follow us, he inquired dejectedly.

“Sorry, I was preoccupied with many matters lately.”

“We thought you forgot about us, but I’m sure they’ll understand now that you’ve returned extravagantly with a pet of your own.”

When I formulated an excuse, he replied while glancing at Lulu, who was cowering away.

“By the way, I don’t think I’ll be able to stay for long since I am the focus of the party.”

“We should have an hour or two since it’s still early and not everyone with an invitation has arrived just yet. So, let’s enjoy ourselves until then.”

“…Sigh.”

It seems like my trashy friends came prepared.

After all, despite coming from prestigious families, they were all irredeemable trash. If they wanted to continue with their depraved behavior, they would have to risk their lives to maintain their connection with me.

These shameless bastards who were going around performing wicked deeds for their own enjoyment while hiding behind my notoriety.

“It’s here! You’ll be able to enjoy yourself to the fullest before the party officially begins.”

“Hoh.”

The guy finally came to a halt and pointed towards a door.

Seeing how they cast soundproofing and perception magic, they really did prepare thoroughly.

– Creaaak…

When I stepped into the room, the rowdy guys on the sofa and chairs shut their mouths and glanced in my direction.

“It’s been a while.”

The room was silent, so I calmly greeted them first. Expressions of excitement emerged on all their faces.

“Lord Frey! Where have you been all this time!?”

“Please hurry on over! You’ve been absent for such a long time, so you should take some penalty shots!”

“What did I tell you! No matter how many times I tell you that Lord Frey wouldn’t abandon us, you all wouldn’t believe…”

They all began clamoring.

“U-Uugh…”

Lulu stiffened on the spot with a pale face when she noticed the girls. They all seemed to have been physically abused, sitting besides those bastards with lifeless eyes.

An ordinary person wouldn’t have been able to see through their ruse due to the exorbitant sums of money used to apply illusion magic to hide the girls’ conditions. However, I was able to see through the magic by gathering stella mana in my eyes.

“J-Just… what in the…”

And Lulu was able to see through the illusions as well.

After all, the only reason a frail and talentless girl like Lulu was able to join Class A is because she was born with ‘Magic Eyes.’

“All of us spent a significant amount of money to disguise our pets as servants and snuck them in for you. After all, we shouldn’t exclude our pets from the party.”

“…Indeed.”

When they saw me observing the girls, the trash standing next to me began speaking in a cunning voice.

Anger flared within me, but I held back as I glanced at each girl in succession.

‘…This is severe.’

These guys call them ‘pets,’ but they sure aren’t holding back with their atrocious abuse.

The girls’ bodies, especially their faces, were badly bruised and full of injuries. Their eyes were lifeless and their clothes looked like rags that would fall apart at any moment.

What angered me the most however, is the fact that they were all young girls that were the same age as Lulu.

“…Phew. Lord Frey, just where were you able to obtain such a high-quality product?”

While I was silently glancing at the girls with clenched fists, someone asked a question while approaching Lulu.

“Higeuk!”

Lulu backed away with abhorrent eyes.

“Tsk. My pet is inexperienced with situations such as these.”

I gently patted Lulu’s head and spoke in a deep voice.

“Speaking of which, I want to let my pet play with yours for a while.”

Every one of them looked confused.

“So can all of you leave?”

They were all taken aback as I told them to leave.

“Leave your pets behind.”

I continued with an indifferent expression as I took in their reactions.

“It’s been a while so I should make the most of it and enjoy myself.”

For some reason, I feel like there would be another rumor added to the many that were already floating around about me.

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“Happy birthday, Lord Frey.”

The injured girls congratulated me together as they prostrated themselves on the floor.

“Yeah, yeah.”

I gazed down at them arrogantly as I settled down on an armchair with a glass of wine in my hand.

“Hm… It’s no fun like this.”

I spoke again with a smile as Lulu continued waiting on me.

“I want to see your damaged bodies… so I’m going to temporarily remove the illusion magic cast on you.”

The girls began looking panicked when I expressed my intentions while taking a sip of my wine.

– Shwick!

Ignoring their reactions, I stood up and tore up the scroll that was shining brightly in the middle of the room.

– Knock, knock, knock!

Suddenly, someone began knocking on the door.

“Just stay there.”

The girls, whose abused bodies were revealed, tried to get up from their spots in shock. I immediately intimidatingly ordered them to stay put.

“Come in.”

The door slowly opened and the First Imperial Princess entered the room.

“It’s been a while, Frey…”

She greeted me with a smile and began scanning the room.

“Greetings, Your Highness, the First Imperial Princess. What business do you have with me?”

I took a sip of my wine as I crossed my legs and leisurely inquired.

“Ah, I have something to share with both you and Clana…”

The First Imperial Princess replied with her cheeks flushed red. After entering the room, Clana also emerged behind her.

“Oh my god…”

The spectacle that Clana bore witness to, startled her, eliciting her to approach me with a disgusted glare.

“Frey, you really…”

I was getting ready to reply sarcastically, but Clana suddenly froze in place.

“Huh?”

The event that transpired afterwards took me completely by surprise since it wasn’t part of the perfect plan I had made for today.

“Ah…”

Clana began trembling while staring at me in a daze, and a streak of tears streamed down her face.

Huh?