The Banquet (4)
"……Why?" Silvia muttered unconsciously, shrinking back. Why? Why? The questions tumbled through her mind in a dizzying whirl. 'Didn't he say it was just an escort? No personal feelings involved, just…….'
Achillea had said it was to honor the meritorious families. Felice had accepted the fact calmly as well. That was why Silvia had been able to step back from the situation. If the two of them had truly been partners in the real sense, Silvia wouldn't have backed down. ……She could tell herself it wasn't her concern, but that was how it was. 'Because we're friends.' Because she was Felice's friend. It made no sense for Achillea and Felice—who hadn't known each other long and had few points of connection—to suddenly become involved. In any case, it wasn't something Silvia should concern herself with. Even if Achillea and Felice grew truly close, it wasn't something she had any right to comment on.
Even so, Silvia couldn't shake the heavy feeling settling in her chest. Something seemed to be lodged there, making it hard to breathe. Was this what it felt like to choke on food eaten too quickly? Without realizing it, Silvia patted her chest and let out a long breath.
"Why…… is this happening……?"
Just moments ago, her mood had been soaring. Talking about Felice with his family had been fun, and seeing him had filled her with excitement at the thought of greeting him. Now the opposite was true—her heart had sunk so deep it couldn't possibly go any lower. After hanging her head for a moment, Silvia shook it vigorously and started walking. Not toward Felice, as she'd originally intended, but back to Cain.
'I'll just greet him next time.' With that thought, Silvia forced a smile over her feelings. Her gaze, however, remained fixed on Felice and Achillea.
@
"……Do we really have to do that?"
"We do. You're the star of this banquet, after all."
"I'm not the star, am I?"
My blunt retort made the escort knight behind Achillea flinch, but the person in question merely smiled softly.
"You're quite timid compared to before."
Realizing what Achillea meant by 'before,' I gave a hollow smile and shook my head.
"Wouldn't it be easier to split magic one more time than to dance with Your Highness the Crown Princess in the middle of all these nobles……?"
"You've already entered with me. What's there to be so afraid of?"
"……Good question."
Grumbling quietly at Achillea's complete lack of empathy, I picked up some food according to proper etiquette and brought it to my mouth. The dishes were disgustingly delicious, and before I knew it, my eyes were sparkling. It was obvious that the imperial chefs were far superior to the academy's, but the difference in taste was on another level.
"Anyway, no matter how much you dislike it, once you accepted my escort, there was no escaping this."
"That…… is true."
Honestly, I should have anticipated the 'dancing' part of the banquet the moment I received the escort proposal. That had been my mistake. Even if I threw a tantrum and refused to dance, Achillea had to dance first, and doing so without her partner would look bad to the nobles. Naturally, I had no right to refuse.
Reminding myself of that fact once more, I silently nodded and kept eating. Throwing a fit wasn't an option. If I had to blame someone, it should be myself for not thinking of something so simple. So this wasn't me taking out my frustration. I was just enjoying how good the food tasted.
As I continued eating with knife-like precision and combat-like intensity, a small laugh came from beside me.
"Pfft…… Are you taking out your anger on the food?"
"……That's not it."
When I coughed awkwardly at Achillea's spot-on remark, she rested her chin on her hand atop the table and looked at me with a playful smile. Her gaze was so persistent that I turned my head slightly, but she kept staring, tilting her head. Her unusually direct gaze today left me unsure what to do with myself.
@
Meanwhile, at the highest point of the banquet hall, the sun of the empire—who had yielded all the spotlight—watched Achillea and Felice.
"……So that's the boy."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Baymos fil Hamen Ulais, the sun of the empire and current emperor, observed Felice chatting amicably with Achillea with impassive eyes.
"Leonhardt was quite the troublesome child."
At the emperor's words, the elderly chancellor flinched and trembled slightly. It had been Achillea who expelled Leonhardt, but the emperor surely knew Felice had been involved behind the scenes. That didn't mean he blamed Felice for it. Leonhardt had repeated mistake after mistake and had even kicked away the final chance Baymos had given him—going so far as to attempt to harm Achillea.
Baymos highly valued Achillea's proactive attitude and abilities. The second prince was cunning but lacked the skill to win people over. The third prince, Leonhardt, had been inferior in every way and full of arrogance. In a sense, ever since the first prince died young, Baymos might have been preparing Achillea for the position of crown princess. That didn't negate all of Achillea's efforts, however. Rather, regardless of what Baymos had thought, it was entirely Achillea's own power that had placed her on the throne.
"As a father, it pains me to see him like that, but as emperor, it may be for the best."
The emperor hadn't aged. He was still in his prime, capable of leading the empire for at least another twenty years.
"That aside."
Therefore, he still had to think of the empire.
"What kind of child is that boy?"
At Baymos's question, the chancellor bowed deeply.
"As the second son of the Astria count family, he was not a boy who particularly stood out. He had talent in swordsmanship but lacked effort; despite his lack of effort, his talent was exceptional."
"……A typical genius's life."
"Yes. Politically, it was entirely Count Astria's decision to support Crown Princess Achillea, and it seems the second son showed no particular reaction to it."
"……However."
Baymos cut off the chancellor's report and fixed his blue eyes on Felice. Whether it was the intuition of a swordsman, Felice visibly flinched when Baymos's gaze landed on him.
"How did that boy end up by Achillea's side?"
He hadn't fallen from the sky. Nor had he shown any particular brilliance since childhood. While it was true that the Astria count family had supported Achillea from the beginning, that wasn't reason enough to force him into being her banquet partner.
"While handling the third prince's affairs, he grew somewhat closer to Her Highness the Crown Princess."
"I already know that."
"According to those guarding Her Highness, it seems Her Highness has taken an 'interest' in him."
"………Interest."
Baymos stroked his long white beard and muttered quietly. After fiddling with the beard that had turned almost completely white like his hair, he tilted his head slightly.
"Has Achillea ever taken an interest in anyone before?"
"……Not that I am aware of."
"Then is there a reason for her to be interested in that boy?"
"I don't believe so either."
Baymos let out a small laugh. Of course, a spell from the Tower Master surrounded them, so neither the laughter nor their voices leaked outside. Within the magic that completely blocked their appearance and sound, Baymos's eyes gleamed once more.
"Bring that boy to me. I have something urgent to ask him."
"……Understood."
"Do it without Achillea knowing. If she finds out, who knows what kind of scene she'll cause."
Achillea was the crown princess. At the same time, she was the iron-blooded crown princess who had fought alone to reach that position. But to Baymos, she was still just a child. The path he had walked was that long and impossibly high.
"I will obey."
As the chancellor bowed deeply, Baymos nodded silently.
"Felice van Astria……"
Baymos's gaze, still fixed on Felice, shone sharply as if piercing through him.