Chapter 21
The Sapphire Hall of the Imperial Palace, where lights brighter than the starlight of the night sky shone brilliantly.
Among all the banquet halls in the Imperial Palace, this one boasted the largest space, yet the central hall remained empty.
It was because the main characters who were to fill this place had not yet arrived.
I looked at the empty central hall and picked up a glass of low-alcohol champagne.
Although the banquet had not yet officially begun, as it was a grand event, the nobles were already chatting in small groups, unable to hide their excitement.
“I heard the delegation arrived at the palace this morning.”
“They say Princess Daisy is so beautiful… and she’s the full sister of the Queen of the Blyos Kingdom.”
“Oh my, really? They’re full sisters?”
“Yes. The Queen cherishes the Princess so much. There’s quite an age gap between them, just like how His Majesty the Emperor cherishes His Highness the Grand Duke now.”
“Not only the Princess, but the Duke who came with her is also quite handsome, they say.”
“I heard that Duke is very intelligent. The Queen won the civil war with strategies that came from his mind.”
“Really? We’ve got some impressive guests in this delegation.”
Murmur, murmur. The story of the Blyos Kingdom delegation filled the party hall. Just as Princess Daisy’s name kept coming up, making me inexplicably nervous, one young lady mentioned Havel.
“Aren’t you so excited about the Grand Duke’s sword dance today?”
“That’s right, honestly, I’m more excited about the Grand Duke’s sword dance than the delegation. I’ve never seen the Grand Duke perform a sword dance before.”
“No one has. Hohoho.”
The faces of the young ladies who burst into laughter were full of anticipation and joy.
When would the banquet begin? I found myself wishing Rayon would hurry back after the sword dance so we could enjoy ourselves together. Just then, the loud voice echoed through the hall.
“His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Her Royal Highness the First Princess, Her Royal Highness Princess Daisy Blyos, and Duke Arnold Crowde of the Kingdom of Blyos enter!”
All the nobles bowed. The sound of the imperial family’s footsteps was heard, and soon the Emperor’s voice, having taken his place on the raised dais, resounded loudly through the hall.
“Raise your heads.”
When I raised my head, I saw the Emperor and the rest of the imperial family. My gaze shifted to where the other nobles’ eyes were particularly drawn, and there stood the main characters who had stirred up the capital.
The delegation from the Blyos Kingdom, Princess Daisy and Duke Crowde.
As the nobles had said, Princess Daisy’s beauty was comparable to that of the Imperial Princess, who was rumored to be the most beautiful in the Empire, or rather, she possessed a beauty far more elegant than the Imperial Princess, who still had a girlish air about her.
At first glance, her reddish-brown hair, which looked red, and green eyes, along with her tall stature for a woman, combined with her fair skin and round features, made her a lovely beauty as cute as a puppy.
She really was pretty. If Havel and she stood together, they would look like a fantasy couple. Like they were in their own world.
Surely Havel must have thought the same thing when he saw Princess Daisy? As long as a person has eyes, they can’t help but feel that Princess Daisy is beautiful. Yes, that’s right.
But… why am I thinking about Havel?
I shook my head quickly, catching myself drifting into thoughts of him again. I’ve been thinking about Havel too much lately. On top of that, I’m not even sure if this dress was the right choice… If I keep doing this, it’s dangerous.
In the hall where the Emperor’s welcoming speech echoed, I quietly bit my lip and shook my head. Then, for a moment, I locked eyes with a man across the hall.
His deep brown eyes, visible beneath his black hair, were so dark that they looked black at first glance.
The man, with an appropriate blend of Eastern allure and Western features, possessed a handsome appearance that could easily steal the attention of the Empire’s noble young ladies.
Is he as handsome as Havel? No, he feels different from Havel. Both are handsome, but their auras are too different.
Come to think of it, he must be the one who needs Ig’s power. The Duke of Crowde, wasn’t it? He wanted to open his mother’s keepsake, didn’t he? Another fire spirit user…
I was still staring blankly, our gazes still met, when he subtly smiled and bowed his head as if greeting. Only then did I snap back to reality.
I looked at a guy I didn’t even know as if I was judging him. But even if I did, why was he staring at me so intently?
“Therefore, for the Blyos Kingdom, our Empire has prepared a very special welcoming gift.”
Suddenly, as the Emperor’s voice grew louder, Duke Crowde’s gaze and mine turned to the stage.
The Emperor paused briefly. As everyone’s eyes turned to him, he extended his hand towards the closed doors of the banquet hall.
“Please enjoy the sword dance of the First Knight Order, the pride of our Empire and the center of the military.”
As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, two chamberlains opened the tightly closed doors, and knights in their knight uniforms appeared. Havel, standing at the very front, was visible.
Havel, properly dressed in his uniform, looked like a knight who might have stepped out of a painting, instantly capturing everyone’s attention in the banquet hall.
Step. Step. Havel walked onto the banquet hall floor. The banquet hall, as if overwhelmed by Havel’s presence, was silent except for faint breaths.
Havel stopped in the center of the stage.
Was it because of his strong presence? Even on the large stage, it didn’t feel like there was any remaining space. Havel offered a short bow towards the dais where the Emperor was seated. The air in the banquet hall grew heavy, as if weighed down by awe at his solemn presence.
Havel, who had been standing expressionlessly as if alone in an empty space, slowly moved his hand. A shing sound echoed as he slowly drew his sword from its golden scabbard. The long, razor-sharp blade glinted in the lights of the banquet hall.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Havel and the tip of his sword.
In the quiet banquet hall, soft string instruments echoed, and Havel’s sword, his body, began to move.
Following the lines of the sword, moving gracefully and beautifully, sometimes powerfully and strongly, drawing curves and straight lines, the nobles one by one became enchanted as if under a spell.
Even I, too, couldn’t take my eyes off Havel at this very moment. I even forgot to blink.
The gleaming blade with every movement he made, and his slightly swaying silver hair, were all so beautiful as if they were not of this world.
So beautiful.
While I was mesmerized by his sword dance, which was so enchanting that words alone could not describe its beauty, he had already finished his sword dance and turned his body, and our eyes met.
He looked this way and smiled faintly.
It was a fleeting moment, but somehow, in that time that felt like an eternity, the brief smile he showed remained vividly in my mind.
“Didn’t His Grace look this way just now?”
“Who was he looking at? Me? Couldn’t be, right?”
“He did smile just now, didn’t he? I definitely saw him smile.”
The voices of the young ladies chatting in front of me rang in my ears. Havel had already disappeared, and on the floor, the group sword dance of the First Knight Order continued.
But I couldn’t concentrate on their movements. No, to be precise, I couldn’t even raise my head to look.
Because I was sure my reddened cheeks, whose heat I couldn’t hide, would give me away.
* * *
“It was truly fantastic. The sword dance was splendid, but the Grand Duke’s solo dance especially… Ah, I think I’ll never forget it.”
“Exactly, I never knew His Highness the Grand Duke could perform a sword dance so perfectly. Is there anything he’s not good at?”
“The Grand Duke is so perfect that one cannot even feel jealous.”
“The Blyos Kingdom delegation must have been very surprised to see the dignity of our knight order.”
Not only the ladies, but even the gentlemen, were all busy chattering about the knights’ performance.
The hall grew even noisier, especially as the noble young gentlemen of the knight order, who had changed into their tailcoats, began returning to the banquet hall one by one.
Well, honestly, if my son had just performed in that sword dance, I’d want him by my side so I could brag too.
Watching the atmosphere of the banquet hall, which was greatly enlivened by the successful welcoming ceremony of the knights, I gently touched my now cooled cheeks and picked up finger food.
When your head is a mess, sweet things are the best.
Just as I put a small piece of crepe with chocolate cream into my mouth, I heard a voice calling my name from behind.
“Lady Serira, are you already starting to eat?”
“Sir Chent.”
Sir Chent, with a wine glass in his hand, emptied the remaining wine and placed the empty glass on the tray held by a servant.
“Sir Rayon hasn’t come out yet, it seems.”
“Indeed. It must take a long time to change clothes. I’m bored.”
“Make some friends.”
“Even if I do, I’ll be dispatched again for several months, and I won’t be able to go to tea parties… It’s better not to make friends. I hate it more when it’s awkward after I come back.”
“Tsk, you really have it rough.”
“Someday, my day will come.”
All the Havel problems will be solved, yes, someday. Nothing lasts forever, after all.
Sir Chent, perhaps pitying me, picked up a piece of canapé from a passing tray and offered it to me.
“Eat a lot. If life’s tough, at least you should eat well.”
“Thank you.”
I happily accepted and ate it, when Rayon, having changed his clothes, approached quickly.
“Sera, I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”
“Rayon. Almost everyone else came out, and you didn’t, so I thought you were having a tailcoat made at the ducal estate.”
“Sorry, sorry. Ah, Count Chent.”
“Yes, nice to see you. Sir Rayon, your performance earlier was splendid. The practice must not have been easy.”
“Yes. I couldn’t even go home for two weeks. Thank you for your kind words.”
As Rayon smiled gratefully, Sir Chent waved his hand.
“Well, everyone must have felt that way. Now you two have fun, I’ll go to my wife now.”
As soon as Sir Chent left, Rayon, perhaps thirsty, downed a non-alcoholic cocktail in one go.
“Your sword dance was incredible, you must have worked really hard.”
“Ahem, um. Thank you, Sera. Well, our captain practiced the longest and was definitely the best. This was my first time seeing it from beginning to end, and it was hard to take my eyes off it.”
“…Yes. Same here.”
As the image of Havel performing the sword dance came to mind, I felt my cheeks flush again.
I deliberately turned my gaze to the center of the hall.
As all the knights seemed to have returned, the orchestra’s performance began. Couples wishing to dance began gathering one by one on the central floor.
