Part 1: The Birthday Banquet and the Winterbottom Kit
After the events of Season 1, Boris continues living under his new identity with the noble family that rescued him and Rose. He is still being trained, and his relationship with Lanziee continues to develop.
The next major event is the birthday celebration of the savior noble's wife. The celebration is supposed to be an extravagant affair, especially because the Queen herself is expected to attend. However, the Queen ultimately does not appear.
Despite her absence, many nobles attend the banquet, making it an important social gathering.
Before the celebration, Rose warns Boris about two of her cousins. She particularly warns him about the elder cousin, implying that she is unpleasant and someone Boris should be careful around.
During the banquet, Rose eventually asks Boris to dance with her. Boris agrees—or at least tries to—but he does not know the particular dance Rose wants to perform.
Lanziee notices Boris's predicament and quietly saves him.
He tells Rose that Boris has been called by the savior noble to the garden. Boris understands what Lanziee is doing, but Rose believes the excuse. Lanziee then politely finds another noble to dance with Rose so that she is not simply abandoned.
Boris and Lanziee escape to the garden.
Boris and Lanziee's conversation
While in the garden, Boris and Lanziee have a more personal conversation.
Their discussion eventually turns philosophical and political. They talk about the political systems of their respective countries and the idea of a republic.
Boris comes from Travaches, a republic whose political system has effectively failed or become deeply dysfunctional.
The conversation also touches on the country where Boris is currently staying. It had once had a republican system as well, but after hearing what happened to Travaches, the country moved back toward a monarchic system.
The exact details of their argument are a little hazy in my memory, but the important part is that Boris and Lanziee are not merely making small talk. Lanziee is beginning to see Boris as someone whose thoughts and experiences are worth listening to.
Their friendship and mutual trust are growing.
At some point, Lanziee notices that Boris is thirsty and leaves to get him some water.
Boris waits.
And waits.
Lanziee does not return.
Concerned, Boris goes looking for him.
The elder cousin
Boris eventually finds Lanziee with the elder cousin Rose had warned him about.
The cousin is angry with Lanziee and demands that he return to being her servant.
Lanziee refuses.
The cousin responds by slapping him.
Boris immediately intervenes.
Rather than simply reacting emotionally, Boris uses the social rules of the household against her. He points out that Lanziee is his servant and therefore it is his responsibility to reprimand him if necessary.
The cousin, meanwhile, is merely a guest.
As a guest, she has no right to behave disrespectfully toward someone else's servant in Boris's presence.
Boris essentially turns the situation around on her: if she is going to remain a guest, she should behave like one.
The cousin eventually leaves.
For Lanziee, this is a major moment.
Boris did not treat him like an expendable servant. He stood up for him.
Lanziee's respect and trust toward Boris deepen considerably.
And that increased trust leads Lanziee to reveal something much more serious.
The hidden room
Lanziee takes Boris through a hidden back entrance of the estate and brings him to a concealed storage/display room.
He then leaves Boris alone so that Boris can discover the truth himself.
Boris enters.
Inside is an empty display stand.
At its base is an inscription:
Winterbottom Kit.
Boris immediately understands the significance.
The Winterbottom Kit is the legendary Jineman family treasure consisting of Winterer and Snowguard.
Boris realizes that the kindness he has been receiving from this noble family may not have been entirely genuine.
The hospitality.
The protection.
The apparent affection.
All of it suddenly looks suspicious.
If they know about the Winterbottom Kit, then perhaps they know exactly who Boris is and what he possesses.
And Boris currently has only one half of that treasure:
Winterer.
The realization terrifies him.
He has spent all this time believing that he had finally found people willing to protect him.
Now he fears that they may have been protecting him only because they wanted the sword.
The same sword that has already brought death and misfortune into his life.
The end of the banquet
The birthday celebration ends.
Several days pass.
The agreed-upon duel approaches.
Boris is still deeply frightened by what he discovered, but he cannot openly show his suspicion. He has to maintain the appearance that everything is normal.
The duel is supposed to determine Rose's future.
If Boris defeats the noble family's chosen opponent, Rose will be freed from the marriage arrangement that her father had previously made.
Boris therefore has no choice but to continue.
The savior noble and Boris travel to the land belonging to the family of the old friend connected to the marriage agreement.
When they arrive, it is already too late in the day for the duel.
The duel is postponed until the following day.
Since there is still time, the group decides to go hunting.
And among the hunting party are several men Boris recognizes.
They are the same men who once beat him before the savior noble rescued him.
At this point, Boris's situation becomes much more dangerous.
Something is very wrong.
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