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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Imperial Banquet
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A few days later.
Several days had passed since the banquet officially began. The festivities were scheduled to last for seven days.
Those invited to the banquet were the high-ranking nobles of Auraria and the heroes who had distinguished themselves in the recent war.
The four of them had skipped the parties for the past few days, but today, their attendance was mandatory.
The Emperor himself was scheduled to attend this evening's banquet.
Among the gathered crowd, some were discussing why Oscar, Calix, Griffith, and Romeo had come to Auraria.
Those who viewed it positively were pleased, saying, "This is a fine opportunity to demonstrate the dignity of our empire."
On the other hand, there were those who were suspicious. "Aren't they here to dig up information on Auraria?"
In truth, the four were prepared to kill the Emperor if he turned out to be the culprit.
Thus, it was best to avoid suspicion for the time being.
For that reason, they were dressed in splendid formal wear for today's event, attending the banquet with quiet composure.
People stole glances at the four remarkably tall and handsome young men.
Some noble young ladies considered approaching them, but they all hesitated, put off by an unapproachable aura.
It was as if an invisible barrier surrounded them.
Inside the banquet hall, elegant music flowed.
Among the gazes stealing glances at the four young men, one was unexpected.
It was the gaze of a handsome young man named Lute.
‘Why on earth are those guys in Auraria?’
Lute had also been a key member of the Mad Dragon subjugation party, but unlike Cedric and Damian, he was on relatively good terms with the four.
At the very least, they would exchange greetings when they crossed paths.
From the looks of it, everyone seemed hesitant to approach the four, who were gathered together with such serious expressions.
Lute debated whether he should be the one to go over and talk to them.
Thump, thump.
Just then, the sound of an attendant tapping his staff on the floor echoed from the top of the staircase.
Soon, the large doors opened, revealing the brothers Cedric and Damian, dressed in magnificent formal attire.
And between them…
‘Yuriana…!’
Princess Yuriana walked out elegantly, with her arms linked through Cedric's and Damian's.
Lute had reunited with Yuriana yesterday after a long time and they had talked for hours.
During their conversation, he felt a special connection forming between them.
How overjoyed he had been to learn that Yuriana had been waiting for him too.
At that moment, Lute’s gaze suddenly shifted to the four young men.
“……!”
Lute suddenly felt his heart drop.
The gazes of those four were fixed on the top of the stairs. Their stares were incredibly intense.
Soon, they began to converse among themselves while looking in that direction.
‘Could it be…?’
A suspicion arose in Lute’s mind.
‘Did they come to Auraria because of Yuriana?’
It seemed unlikely, but the thought lingered.
It was because of Princes Cedric and Damian, who had joined the subjugation party late.
They always carried a portrait of Yuriana in a necklace pendant and would frequently show it off to the heroes gathered from the various empires.
Every time, Lute found himself disliking the two brothers.
To them, she might be their younger sister, but to him, she was the woman he liked.
‘Did those guys see Yuriana’s portrait too?’
One corner of Lute's mouth lifted in displeasure.
Then again, it was understandable.
The Yuriana in the portrait was so beautiful that no one could take their eyes off her. Of course, she was even more beautiful in person.
In any case, she was certainly worth coming to see in person.
There were even those who joked, "Shouldn't we go to Auraria just to see Princess Yuriana's face?"
But he had never imagined that those four, who were always so serious, would come here for such a reason.
‘So they’re men, after all.’
Lute felt a surge of needless jealousy, along with a sense of tension.
He smoothed his clothes and strode quickly toward Yuriana, who was descending the stairs on her brothers' arms.
"Yuriana."
"...Lute."
Watching the two of them smile as their eyes met, Cedric and Damian cleared their throats in disapproval.
Meanwhile, Romeo, who had been observing them, muttered.
"Is there any chance those princes are the culprits?"
"...They could be behind it, but they wouldn't have administered the poison themselves. They were outside the imperial castle at the time."
As Griffith gave a reasonably sincere answer, Romeo's face soured.
"I hope they're involved."
So I can kill them too.
Romeo mumbled the last part under his breath.
There was a reason he held such a grudge against Princes Cedric and Damian.
When word first got out that the four of them were heading to Auraria, Cedric and Damian had sought them out and said as much.
"Why are you all going to Auraria? What do you hope to gain?"
"...Maybe they're not welcome in their own countries."
Standing beside Cedric, Damian had spouted the blatantly rude comment. Cedric had nodded in agreement.
"Well... perhaps. Or could it be... you've seen our Yuriana's portrait?"
"...Really?"
Damian had reacted very sensitively to Cedric's speculation.
Right after that, a battle had suddenly broken out, cutting their conversation short.
Unlike the other three, who had ignored them from the start, Romeo still remembered that exchange.
"So that's the Yuriana they were always going on about. Looks like it's her."
As Romeo muttered, Calix tugged down his cumbersome cravat and asked irritably.
"Enough with the pointless chatter. Have you done any more tracking?"
At that question, Romeo narrowed his eyes.
"Aren't you tired of asking that same question for days? Do you think I'm just playing around? For someone who does nothing but whine, you sure have a big mouth."
As if used to Romeo's chiding, Calix just shrugged. Romeo sighed and continued.
"The tracking is impossible. It seems they've sold off or destroyed the magic stone."
On a whim, Romeo decided to try again and took out his fountain pen from his pocket.
As he tapped the part where the blue magic stone was embedded, an invisible stream of magic flowed from his fingertips.
Just then.
"Huh? Wait a second."
Romeo's eyebrow twitched.
"What is it?"
Griffith, who had been downing his champagne in one go, reacted sharply.
Oscar also stared at Romeo with a sharp gaze, and Calix, who had asked the question, straightened up in surprise.
"What? What is it? Do you feel something?"
“……”
In response to Calix's question, Romeo simply smiled, a meaningful curve to his lips.
It was then.
Thump, thump!
Once again, the attendant's staff struck the floor, announcing the arrival of the Emperor and Empress.
The curtains parted, and the imperial couple appeared, dressed in magnificent formal wear of gold and white.
Emperor Perseus was a handsome middle-aged man who still retained his youthful appearance.
The noblewomen looked at his still-dashing figure and recalled their girlhood days of having a crush on the Crown Prince.
The crowd bowed their heads slightly, showing their respect for the imperial couple.
Emperor Perseus acknowledged their greeting with a raised hand and slowly descended the stairs with the Empress.
The musicians began to play an elegant waltz once more.
The Empress separated from Emperor Perseus and, as if by habit, made her way to where the noblewomen were gathered.
"Your Majesty, the Empress."
The noblewomen and their maids-in-waiting greeted her. However, despite the joyous occasion, the Empress's complexion was dark.
She was worried about her young son, whom she had left in his chambers with a cold.
Three years ago, a new prince had been born to Emperor Perseus and Empress Marianne.
Cedric, Damian, and Yuriana had gained a little brother.
In the middle of their conversation.
"Your Majesty, do you happen to know how long those gentlemen plan to stay at the imperial castle?"
A noblewoman asked the Empress, her face flushed.
The Empress's gaze naturally followed to where the lady was pointing. Over there were the young men who had recently become the talk of the capital's nobility.
"Are you asking because of your daughter's marriage prospects?"
At the Empress's smiling question, the noblewoman quickly nodded in affirmation.
‘They are fine young men…’
The Empress watched them quietly, and like the noblewoman who had asked, she naturally thought of Yuriana.
Yuriana also had no fiancé and was approaching the age for marriage.
Marianne was different from Emperor Perseus.
‘His Majesty has not the slightest intention of marrying Yuriana off, but…’
Marianne wanted a son-in-law without a single flaw.
In her desire to give her daughter only the very best, she was the same as Emperor Perseus.
Meanwhile, the four men, completely unaware of the meaning behind the gazes directed at them, exchanged serious looks.
"What is it? What's going on?"
Calix urged Romeo, who stood frozen as if time had stopped.
Romeo frowned and said.
"...I've detected a flow of magic. Just wait a moment."
With those words, Romeo headed for an empty terrace.
The other three watched the direction Romeo had disappeared with serious expressions.
They intentionally didn't follow, figuring it would be easier for him to concentrate if he was alone.
"Anyway, banquets really aren't my thing."
Calix completely untied his cravat and unceremoniously stuffed it into his pocket.
"Of course they aren't."
Griffith retorted sarcastically, and Calix, looking bored, just gulped down one glass of champagne after another.
Oscar, seemingly uncomfortable with the curious stares directed at him, slipped away from the group.
“……”
From a distance, Lute watched them closely.
Just then, Yuriana, who had briefly gone to Emperor Perseus, approached Lute.
"Yuriana."
Lute's expression immediately changed as he smiled at Yuriana.
His heart pounded at the sight of her beautiful green eyes.
Yuriana looked at Lute and asked gently.
"Are you having a good time?"
"Of course."
The two soon began to chat warmly. Perhaps because of the memories they shared from childhood, the awkwardness of their reunion after so long was brief.
The topic of conversation shifted to 'where the gazes of the young ladies at the banquet were directed.'
"You're not... interested in them too, are you?"
Lute asked, his voice a little tense. Yuriana raised an eyebrow as if to ask what he meant.
"Those guys over there."
At Lute's words, Yuriana's gaze shifted in that direction.
"Ah..."
When Yuriana nodded as if she'd heard of them, Lute grew even more anxious, pressing his lips together.
"I'm worried they might have taken a liking to you."
Perhaps it was his anxiety, but the foolish words slipped out before he could stop them.
At his words, Yuriana gave a coy smile.
"...Why would that be a worry?"
"Because..."
“……”
Just then, uninvited guests appeared between the two.
"What are you doing here, Yuriana?"
It was none other than Princes Cedric and Damian.
And what's more...
"...Your... Your Majesty."
Lute, flustered by the appearance of the Emperor right behind them, still managed to show his respects.
"What were you two talking about?"
Prince Damian asked with a sharp look. Yuriana chuckled and replied.
"We were talking about the gentlemen who are the topic of conversation among the young ladies, brother."
"Ah... those guys?"
At that, Cedric and Damian immediately looked in that direction.
There stood Calix, his cravat undone like a ruffian's, and Griffith, with his usual look of indifference.
"Why are there only two of them? Those sly bastards."
"Oh my, sly?"
Yuriana's eyes widened at Damian's words. Damian smirked and said.
"I'm talking about them. Do you know why they came here? To see you."
At Damian's words, Lute felt his world go dark. *Damn it, so it was true?*
"What are you talking about?"
Lute wasn't the only one surprised by this. Emperor Perseus, who had been watching, furrowed his brow deeply.
"It's obvious. I was always showing off Yuriana's portrait on the battlefield, and they came after seeing it. To see Yuriana in person."
As Damian explained, Yuriana blushed and muttered.
"...That's ridiculous."
"Why is it ridiculous?"
Cedric was rather confident in the face of Yuriana's denial.
"So, Yuriana? If all of them proposed, who would you marry?"
Damian asked playfully. At his question, the gazes of Emperor Perseus, Cedric, and Lute were all fixed on Yuriana's face.
"I... well..."
Yuriana hesitated for a moment, glancing briefly at Lute.
"I'll have to issue a marriage ban."
Emperor Perseus said, his eyes narrowed.
"I agree, Father."
"Me too."
As Cedric and Damian added their agreement, Yuriana let out a small laugh. It was a pure, flawless smile.
Emperor Perseus smiled softly as he watched her.
The moment she had called him 'Dad' for the first time, trembling, felt like only yesterday, but now she was already an adult.
Although she was not his biological daughter, Emperor Perseus had never once thought of her as anything less.
That was how precious Yuriana was to him.
His deceased wife, whose death remained a scar on his heart because he couldn't protect her. This precious daughter had a warm smile, just like hers.
It was a sad truth for some, but Emperor Perseus had completely erased the existence of Lellia from his mind.
He had tried to find the child right after she went missing, but he soon felt it was pointless.
He didn't want to torment the child as revenge against the sister who had tormented his wife.
Since the child had left the imperial castle of her own accord, he had decided to let her live freely, considering it an act of forgiveness.
"I agree, too. I'm going to live with my family forever and never get married anyway!"
Yuriana replied with a bashful smile.
At her words, Emperor Perseus, Cedric, and Damian smiled as if they had the whole world.
Lute, on the other hand, forced a smile and swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth.
