With Nadia at the Capital
I was with Nadia. We had arrived at the capital of the Carbon Kingdom. All to attend the royal ball. Of course, I had only one reason for coming.
'If you put it like that, how could I not come...'
The princess of the Carbon Kingdom. The one gathering info on Ascension and those who had ascended. I needed to see her. After all, to return to my original world, I had to achieve Ascension.
Now that I was actually here, my heart felt a bit unsettled. Even in this fantasy world, standing in line amid the bustling crowds of the kingdom's capital made me feel like a real part of this place.
'Feels like I'm queuing for some year-end concert.'
A line had already formed behind me. Of course, I didn't need to look to know. The person right behind me was keeping a certain distance.
To avoid exposing my upper body like always, I had draped a large robe over myself. Still, this massive bulk of mine must have been a bit intimidating up close.
Yeah, this was normal. Since arriving in the Carbon Kingdom, I hadn't seen a single person taller than me. Not even one that gave off a threatening vibe.
'That crazy old man...'
Drakan was beyond common sense. Wasn't he a madman who joined the world's top tier just with his physical body?
Anyway. By now, that white-haired monster, fully disguised, was probably watching us from somewhere. The large carriage we'd ridden together was stashed at an inn.
I glanced around casually. That's when Nadia hesitantly spoke up.
"...I'm a little nervous."
"Huh?"
"Everyone's dressed so cool and pretty, and I feel kinda shabby—"
"What are you talking about."
I replied flatly to Nadia, who had her head hung low, mumbling.
"What shabby? You're the flashiest one here."
"Me?!"
"If anything, you overdid the pretty. That's the problem."
"R-Really, Hans?"
"Yeah. The skirt color matches your headband perfectly—anyone can see it's got style. The tones fit your shoes like a glove. You planning to crush everyone else's spirits?"
"N-No, not at all."
Even as she said it, Nadia lifted her head with a hehe grin.
I knew it. This girl had practiced daily for today—switching headbands, shoes, accessories, outfits, even friendly tones and expressions to make new friends.
If you saw her spreading an old towel on the floor and desperately checking the mirror dozens of times a day, would you say different?
...Honestly, I knew jack about fashion. Think about my previous life. Did I give a shit about how I looked to others?
'That crazy old man probably handled it.'
Drakan was the one who'd gotten all of Nadia's outfits outside the estate. He doted on her so much, he'd naturally picked the best.
"Hehe—"
Her mood lifted, Nadia giggled and pulled a notebook from her small bag.
Flip.
It was her bucket list notebook. She took out a fountain pen Drakan had gotten her, too, and drew a thick line across a page.
Curious, I peeked. She snapped it shut, eyeing me warily.
"N-No, you can't look!"
"Okay."
"Hehehe, wanna see?"
"Huh?"
"You wanna see, right?!"
Her eyes sparkled as she asked. Not really... but.
"Hehehe."
"..."
"Hehehehehehe!"
"...Yeah, I'm curious now."
"It's a se-cret! Hehehehe."
Damn it. I said it to avoid disappointing her, and now she was grinning at me, desperately stuffing the notebook back into her bag and snapping it shut.
"It's embarrassing, like my secret diary getting exposed. Even to you, Hans."
"Got it."
"Hehehe! If we get closer, I'll share a few. You're my first friend ever, so special treatment!"
"Thanks, appreciate it."
"Hehehehehe."
"By the way, how long we gotta wait? Line's pretty long. We starting today like this?"
"Hold on."
She muttered and pulled out the invitation, reading it. I'd just grumbled casually, but she started reciting the ball's schedule.
"Ball schedule!"
"I know that mu—"
"Listen again!"
It was stuff I vaguely knew. Day one: Assign rooms to invitees, tour permitted palace facilities.
Days two and three: Main ball, dancing over two days. Next day: Boat ride on the massive palace lake. Final day: Grand banquet to wrap up.
'Similar to what I heard before.'
Actual palace-hosted extravaganzas like this often added hunts or extras around the dance days—big events to flaunt the host's power, network, and swap info among elites.
The current Carbon ruler, called the Golden King, meant this ball would be a massive display of influence. A vast lake for boating inside the inner palace? Game over.
"—And that's how it ends!"
"Sounds good."
"Fun, right? Huh?"
"Ha. Ha. Yeah."
Whatever. I just needed to meet the princess. Corner her when I could, snag the Ascension info, done.
As I pondered how to make it flow naturally, I noticed Nadia fidgeting.
"Nadia, what're you doing?"
"So you don't get bored, Hans."
"Huh?"
"Dad said the world is one long picnic. No time to get bored."
She closed her eyes, feeling the rhythm, swaying her shoulders like dancing. Her sudden cheeriness made me chuckle.
'Ahh.'
Is this why people wanna get close? Right then—
"Hey, it's moving. Let's go!"
The inner palace gates opened, and the line shrank fast.
At that moment. In the palace library's top floor, a hidden room thick with the scent of old books.
A figure wove thread-fine strands over a massive hemispherical artifact etched with celestial patterns.
Pausing to eye the tangled web, he slowly looked up and spoke.
"It's done. No one entering the inner palace has been missed."
"Good."
"But are you sure?"
"Positive. Everyone invited is connected, by one or two degrees, to those on the verge of Ascension."
"Understood."
He nodded at the princess's words. His name was Philips, another great mage from the magic tower, rival to Karina's master, the great mage Albareon.
"One more thing: Be careful."
"Even Albareon from your tower is investigating Ascension."
"His is personal curiosity. No offense, but scholarly."
"Sounds aimed at me."
"Reversal phenomena are complex. Misuse could harm the kingdom."
"And we sit idle? Rumors say the western continent's emperor is making Maguses. Truce could break anytime!"
"Just... be cautious."
"Sigh."
The briefly heated princess sighed deeply and nodded.
"Got it. I'll be careful."
"Thank you for understanding."
Philips bowed to her, then turned back to the artifact.
"Oh, and could you halt the entry procession once more, briefly?"
"Why?"
"One final element for the ritual. It'll ensure the effect holds firmly for everyone staying during the ball."
"Ha."
The princess clutched her forehead, face complicated. Even if day one was for guests, was such a long delay okay?
But no choice.
"Fine. I'll hold it. Finish quick."
"Thank you."
Inner palace, where high palace structures peeked over tall walls.
Clang—!
Spearmen blocked the front.
"Sorry. Please wait here a moment."
Those at the back of the shrinking line raised voices in protest.
"What now?!"
"What's going on?!"
"It's past lunch already! This is too much!"
"Even for a royal ball—"
Only a few groups from Nadia's spot. Exasperated by the wait, they grumbled; spearmen exchanged awkward glances.
"Can I step away for a quick piss?"
"Y-Yes."
"Sure?"
"We'll watch your spot."
A tall man in the front, around the fifth or sixth in line, nodded to his companion and vanished somewhere.
"Nadia, be right back."
"Hurry, Hans!"
The soldiers shared a look like 'What'd he eat to get that big?' Then, as they turned—
"You kidding me?!"
The woman at the front of the halted line yelled.
"Do you know who I am? From the Montella ducal family! Treating Montella like this?!"
Tall and slender with long blonde hair to her waist, she was surrounded by burly personal guards glaring murderously at the soldiers.
"Th-That's—"
"And what about not everyone getting in? My other guards wait outside in some shitty inn?!"
"Inner palace rooms are per the numbers on the invitation—"
"Exactly! Check again! Mistake! I saw someone bring over ten!"
"That was performers—"
"Shut up! Recheck, I said! Enough talk!"
The Montella lady shrieked. Hearing her house, people whispered. Montella had a name. Even the blocking soldiers looked lost.
"S-Sorry. We just follow orders."
"Aaaargh! Seriously!"
She screamed in the soldier's face, huffed for a bit, then jabbed two fingers like stabbing and declared.
"You saw my face, right? I'll rest over there. See it again, let me straight in. Got it?!"
"L-Lady!"
"Aaaah! So annoying, driving me crazy! Why am I, not a VIP, treated like these losers?!"
Ignoring replies, she spun on her heel, flanked by her maids with bags and guards, heading back.
Thud.
Something small dropped before her feet as she walked, scouting a nearby teahouse.
"What?!"
"S-Sorry!"
It was a worn notebook. Nadia, waiting for me, had pulled it to update her bucket list but stuffed it back amid the front's ugly mood.
"What's this?!"
The lady snatched Nadia's dropped notebook, scanning her up and down with venomous eyes.
"Tch, so tacky. Ugh."
"Th-That—"
"Me, treated same as trash like this?!"
She flipped it open, muttering.
"Ha. Look at this. Some backwater creep scribbling shit like—"
"Lady, wait."
"Hey. Butt out. Don't wanna see ugly?"
A spearman stepped forward at the rude display, but Montella guards blocked him.
Flip, flip.
"Pfft!"
"G-Give it back! You can't look!"
"Wow, spectacle. Total spectacle."
The Montella lady smirked hugely, flipping pages. Nadia lunged, but the tall lady stretched her arm high—out of reach. Guards barred touching her, sending Nadia tumbling back.
- Get compliment on clothes from Hans.
- Dance with a cool knight.
- Fancy dinner at the palace table!
In that gap, the lady opened the page Nadia had lined through earlier, sneering down at her.
"Country bumpkin with big dreams. Dance with a cool knight?"
"Wh-Why pick on me..."
"Fancy dinner? Yeah, for trash like you, one of our meals is lifetime brag material."
"Why... keep..."
"Eww. Still ridiculous."
"G-Give it back."
"Sureee~ Ha! Me! Waiting in line with this nobody?! Go back, recheck now!"
Ignoring teary Nadia like air, she shrieked at the waiting Carbon soldiers.
"People have ranks! Why me with this shrimp, carp trash—"
"Hey."
Not just her holding the notebook high.
A dark shadow fell over her and her house guards.
Crunch—!
With the lead guard's horrific scream.
"Gaaaaahhh!"
A monster with flickering eyes appeared.
"...The fuck are you doing, you shitty bastards?"