The Childhood Friend of the Villainess in a Romance Fantasy

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: TempWane

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In truth, Delkis being situated in the northernmost part of the kingdom led them to regard everyone living south of them as ‘southerners’. However, on a map, Alwen Kingdom itself is located in the north, with the Grand Duchy of Grattanmount even farther to the north.

It was similar to how soldiers stationed at GOP posts would refer to other units, which were clearly also in the frontlines, as being in the “rear.” While not entirely accurate, it wasn’t exactly wrong either.

As a result, Grattanmount’s territory also carried a somewhat “chilly Northern” atmosphere.

The banquet hall was located in the middle of the castle, which was made of stone. It wasn’t that there was no chandelier, or that the lighting was inadequate, or that there wasn’t a carpet underfoot. However, due to the castle’s characteristic design—cut and stacked from monochrome stones—it had a vastly different ambiance from the resplendent banquet halls often depicted in romance fantasy novels.

If anything, it felt more like something out of an American drama.

The setting of the original novel was in the royal capital, and thus the atmosphere matched that of a typical romance fantasy. Amelia and the heroine traveling together to the North only happened at the story’s conclusion, so Grattanmount’s true atmosphere wasn’t vividly depicted. It only mainly appeared
through Harvey or Amelia’s memories.

That didn’t mean the place looked poor. While it didn’t have the opulence of the royal capital, the Grand Ducal House was still the Grand Ducal House. Within its territory were mines producing gold and iron ore, as well as rich veins of various metals and crystals. Not only were these resources abundant, but their quality was exceptional, so the Grattanmount military was equipped with well-forged weapons and armor.

Even the sword I wielded in Delkis was said to be among the finest in the entire kingdom. Given that level of quality for what was exported, it went without saying that the goods used locally were superior.

The food served at the banquet was likewise excellent. Cattle raised on the vast plains had superb meat quality—hardly surprising, given they were bred specifically for their meat.

Frankly, the food here was better than what I ate in Delkis. While Delkis’s venison was delicious, the wild game wasn’t as tender as the livestock bred here.

At the head of the table—the “short side” of the long table—sat the Grand Duke of Grattanmount, with his wife seated beside him.

The two princes were seated to the Grand Duke’s right, while Amelia’s younger brother Ted sat to the left of the Duchess, directly across from the princes.

Amelia sat next to Ted, and my seat was beside hers.

In terms of my status, this seat was incredibly prestigious. Most of the attendants who followed the princes were likely noble-born, and many of the nobles from the royal capital were undoubtedly of higher rank than me.

Honestly, I felt out of place.

Even in my past life, I wasn’t fond of social gatherings. Thankfully, very few people spoke to me directly, but I still worried that someone might start a conversation. To avoid that, I pretended to be utterly engrossed in the meat before me.

It wasn’t a difficult act to pull off, since the meat was genuinely delicious.

The thick slice of meat oozed juices the moment I pierced it with a knife. The outer layer was slightly crispy, producing a satisfying scraping sound when gently scratched with a fork, but the steak itself was perfectly cooked, with an interior revealed a gradient of red from the edges to the center.

It wasn’t undercooked either. It was tender and cooked to perfection.

Honestly, I wanted to just grab it with both hands and devour it, but that would be improper.

I carefully cut the meat into bite-sized pieces with my knife and brought a forkful to my mouth. As it neared, the rich aroma of the well-cooked steak wafted toward me.

The moment I placed the meat into my salivating mouth, the juices blended with my saliva, releasing a soft and savory flavor.

Yet, it wasn’t overly greasy. The fat was juicy and retained the meat’s rich flavor. Furthermore, the slightly tangy steak sauce drizzled on top perfectly offset any potential greasiness.

Each breath I took filled my lungs with the heavenly aroma of the meat.

The steak, tender to the touch, had a slight resistance at first bite, but as I chewed, that resistance gave way to an exquisite softness. The meat’s juices flowed with every bite, and I was glad I hadn’t cut it too large. Otherwise, the juices might have spilled from the corners of my lips.

“…si? Elsie?”

Lost in the bliss of savoring this tender texture—so different from Delkis’s venison—I heard a voice from beside me.

“Elsie.”

It was only on the third call did I realize Amelia was addressing me.

I hurriedly opened my eyes, swallowed the meat, and turned my gaze to Amelia—nearly choking in the process.

Not just Amelia, but the Grand Duke, the Duchess, the two princes, and even Ted were all looking at me.

…A wave of embarrassment washed over me.

Though I wished to stay unnoticed, I had just showcased my culinary euphoria to everyone present.

Amelia’s face turned slightly red, seemingly sharing my mortification, while Ted looked at me with amusement.

Prince Evan, familiar with my personality, didn’t seem particularly surprised. However, Prince Allen gazed at me with an expression that suggested he was observing an anomaly.

Allen, the second prince who found his older brother odd, would naturally find my behavior odd too.

At least the Grand Duke and Duchess maintained composed expressions, merely offering polite smiles.

“We were discussing the Barony of Delkis, as Prince Allen expressed interest in learning about it.”

Amelia’s low voice clued me into why everyone’s attention had turned to me.

“Ah, yes˙…”

I replied absentmindedly, then shifted my gaze to Prince Allen.

“What would you like to know?”

I carefully set down my knife and fork and asked. Prince Allen shrugged slightly before speaking.

“I heard the Barony of Delkis doesn’t raise livestock. What do you usually eat?”

“We hunt as needed. Those who scout the Barony of Delkis are excellent hunters and know how to hunt their own food.”

“And what do you do if you need a mount?”

“When necessary, we capture and ride moose.”

“Isn’t that terribly inefficient? If a situation arises where cavalry is needed, wouldn’t it be difficult to respond immediately?”

“The Barony of Delkis almost never has a need for large-scale cavalry. The surrounding area is filled with forests and mountains. In some areas, the trees are so dense that even a person would struggle to run through them.”

“But won’t there come a time when the Kingdom requires Delkis’s army?”

“Allow me to explain, Your Highness.”

The Grand Duke of Grattanmount spoke, as if to soothe Prince Allen, who kept pressing me with his questions.

“The people of Delkis have a critical duty: to defend against the Northern Barbarians advancing southward. If they did not take on this responsibility, Grattanmount would not be able to so easily secure iron or gold. This would lead to enormous losses for the Kingdom of Alwen. While the royal family has conscripted Delkis’s people in the past, they have avoided doing so whenever possible. Even now, Delkis is engaged in an all-out war with the Barbarians.”

“Yet here sits a Delkis noble?”

Prince Allen stared directly at me as he said this. Although his tone was respectful, addressing the Grand Duke, it was clear that his words were aimed at me.

“…Elsie is here to serve as my escort—”

“Exactly.”

Prince Allen interrupted Amelia mid-sentence.

“You say Delkis is fighting the Barbarians, yet I’ve never heard of these Barbarians making it as far as the Grand Duchy of Grattanmount. If it’s such a peaceful place, why would Lady Grattanmount even need a personal escort? From what I hear, Delkisian soldiers—men and women alike—are exceptionally skilled. If they’re so valuable, doesn’t sending one away imply that Delkis must have resources to spare?”

“……”

The atmosphere froze—not only among the members of the Grand Ducal House but also among the royal and ducal retainers sitting nearby who could hear the exchange.

His tone was blatantly confrontational, no matter how you looked at it.

“Surely, under such circumstances, Delkis refusing a royal conscription order is merely an excuse, Your Grace?”

Prince Allen finished his statement and turned his gaze to the Grand Duke.

“If that’s not the case, then the Lady of Delkis sitting here is actually—”

“Prince Allen.”

Before Prince Allen could finish his sentence, the Grand Duke of Grattanmount spoke first.

“Are you suggesting that the royal capital is currently engaged in the chaos of war?”

He maintained his characteristic smile. There was no hint of anger or reprimand in his expression—he genuinely seemed to be inquiring if the situation had become that dire.

“……”

Prince Allen paused, seeming to mull over the Grand Duke’s words. After a moment, he offered a disarming smile and replied.

“No, that’s not the case. I misspoke—”

“Lady Delkis.”

However, before Prince Allen could fully finish his sentence, Prince Evan spoke up.

“What my brother is trying to suggest is that could it be that the Lady of Delkis has been cast aside here because her abilities fall short compared to her family?”

Crack.

This time, the tension in the room felt almost palpable, as if the air had physically frozen.

Well… that was true, but no matter how accurate it might be, isn’t it a bit much to say it outright?

While I was internally trembling with mortification, Prince Evan, as though delivering a final blow, added:

“In that case, there’s only one way to settle this. How about she faces my brother in a duel? If someone unfamiliar with Delkis wishes to understand their ways, there’s no better method than that.”

As I watched Prince Evan say this with a frivolous smile, I felt my remaining composure ascend straight to the heavens.