Imperial Banquet (3)
Imperial Banquet (3)
"Lady Renoa of the Edelheid Ducal House is entering!"
At the chamberlain's shout, silence descended.
The numerous nobles in the hall turned their gazes toward the entrance as if by prior agreement.
The people standing by the door parted to both sides with a swish.
"Is that the lady of Edelheid?"
"I've never seen that face in social circles. I thought Cassius or Idella-yang would come."
"From what I know, the Edelheids are all blonde, but she has black hair?"
The nobles whispered in groups. Suspicious gazes poured over the tops of ornate feather fans.
For high-ranking nobles, memorizing each other's family relations was a basic social skill.
However, since a lady they had never seen before appeared as the representative of Edelheid, everyone seemed flustered.
"My, my, to think such a beautiful person existed in Edelheid."
While everyone else just stared at Renoa from a step away, there was someone who approached, unable to contain their curiosity.
The one who squeezed through the front of the crowd was a young man dressed in a red tailcoat.
The flashy family crest hanging on his chest and his showy gait spoke for the fact that he was the scion of a powerful family.
The man stood before Renoa and bowed his waist with an exaggerated movement.
"Greetings to the beautiful lady. I am Armand, the eldest son of the Monteveil Marquisate."
"I am Renoa, the second daughter."
"From my memory, I believe this is the first time we've met...."
"That is because this banquet is my first social debut."
"As I thought. Otherwise, there is no way I could have failed to remember such a beautiful person."
Armand smiled slyly.
Soon, his gaze slid to Irion, who was silently guarding Renoa's back.
His gaze, which was traveling from top to bottom, didn't go far before stopping at the nape of the neck.
"Restraints...? Is he perhaps a slave?"
"Yes, he is my guardian knight."
"If he is the slave knight of Edelheid, could he be the slave knight who reportedly defeated the Magic Swordsman Sir Calben?"
"That is correct."
At those words, a stir even greater than Renoa's appearance broke out.
"What's a slave knight?"
"He became a knight despite being a slave. Rumor has it that knight defeated Sir Calben."
"Isn't Calben the Knight Commander of Edelheid? He looks different than he appears."
"But still, to appoint a slave as a knight. Edelheid must have been quite desperate for talent."
"I'll say. Is it even acceptable to bring a slave into the Imperial Palace?"
The nobles exchanged words while glancing at Irion.
Irion whispered slightly to Renoa.
"I told you we should take off the restraints before coming, Agassi. It was obvious it would cause a stir."
"I wanted this. That way, we'll get attention."
The standing of Renoa, who had just revealed herself to the world, was less than that of a remote countryside noble.
For her, a golden opportunity had come.
The Imperial Banquet, where the prominent noble bloodlines of the empire gathered.
It was the best opportunity to imprint the existence of Renoa on everyone.
In that sense, there was no better subject to capture attention than the existence of Irion, the slave knight.
The effect was certain.
Because the gazes of everyone in this place were directed toward Irion.
"Ugh...."
Irion was displeased with becoming an inflatable doll.
Renoa added a word simply.
"This is also something you must do as my guardian knight. You're good at it, anyway. Smiling freely at anyone. I'll specially allow it this once."
"Haa...."
Irion let out a resigned sigh.
He didn't like it, but there was no choice but to obey. He pulled up the indifferently downturned corners of his mouth.
Neatly slicked-back black hair. Beneath it, elegantly curved golden eyes.
His tall stature and the frame built by years of swinging a sword were clearly visible through his suit.
It was on a completely different level from the frail appearance of the sheltered young lords gathered in the banquet hall.
"Um, Gisa-nim. It's a pleasure to meet you. It's an honor to meet the rumored slave knight. Ah, I am Mila-yang of the Rosenberg Viscounty."
The effect was incredible.
The ladies who had been whispering from a distance approached as if drawn by a magnet.
"It is an honor to meet you. I was worried that my humble status might have caused concern to such noble persons, but for you to approach me first like this. You have a heart as beautiful as your appearance."
"A-beautiful. Not to that extent...."
With the addition of flawless etiquette and a kind eye-smile, the lady's cheeks flushed red.
Watching that scene, an air of urgency appeared in the eyes of the other ladies. Not to be outdone, they folded their fans and competed to speak.
"I am Chloe-yang of the Berman Barony. If it's not rude, what perfume do you use? It smells very nice."
"Unfortunately, luxuries like perfume are not allowed for someone of my status."
"Then this scent is....... Oh my."
Chloe-yang made a fuss and hid behind her fan again.
"I am Elizabeth-yang of the Clement Countship. Gisa-nim, shall I bring you something to drink? Those...... restraints on your neck look very uncomfortable."
Elizabeth let out a lament as if she felt sorry, looking at the nape of Irion's neck.
"I'll say. Gong-nyeo-nim is truly cold. To impose such harsh treatment on someone like you."
"If you were by my side, I would have removed that suffocating thing immediately."
Thanks to his handsome appearance, the mark of his lowly status was transformed into a pitiful hardship.
Everyone tried to win his favor by offering sympathetic comfort to Irion.
Irion responded skillfully, nodding appropriately and raising the corners of his mouth.
"This is merely a mark of loyalty toward my master. Far from being uncomfortable, I am only proud of it."
"Heavens. How can your thoughts be so noble?"
"How can we liberate you, Gisa-nim? I want to bring you to our family if I could."
At the endless compliments pouring from the ladies, Irion narrowed his golden eyes and smiled as he spoke.
"Since you are bestowing such undeserved kindness upon someone as humble as me, I feel I should give you a small gift, however lacking it may be."
"A gift? From you to us, Gisa-nim?"
"Oh my, what are you going to give us?"
At the mention of a gift, the ladies' eyes sparkled.
Irion turned his body and grabbed a napkin that was on the banquet table.
The thick and rough fingers that used to hold a sword and cut flesh moved elegantly over the napkin.
Before long, the ordinary square napkin transformed into a full-bloomed white rose.
"Since so many beautiful flowers of the empire are gathered here, I have tried to make a small imitation with these humble hands."
"Heavens......."
Elizabeth received the flower with a trembling hand. Envious gasps poured out from the surroundings.
"That's unfair, Gisa-nim. Giving a gift only to the Clement lady. Please give us some too."
"I will give them to everyone. Please wait a moment."
Irion skillfully folds the paper.
The [Pheromone] he once obtained from a proficiency reroll and his level 9 [Origami] displayed their full power without regret.
Every time his hands moved, flowers bloomed and birds were born.
Even though it was just a trivial paper craft, the smiles never left the faces of the ladies who received the gifts.
As if they had received an expensive jewel.
Good looks even transcend status.
Irion manifested that truth once again in this banquet hall.
Of course, as much as he won the favor of the ladies, the favorability of the young lords dropped.
However, the ones who rule social circles are the women, not the men.
As a result, he was performing his master's command perfectly.
But.
"......."
From a slight distance, Renoa's brows furrowed slightly as she was attending to the nobles.
Watching that absurd farce of Irion amiably conversing with the ladies and offering them folded flowers, displeasure crept up.
Even though he was doing exactly what she told him to do. She couldn't stand to watch it.
"Excuse me."
In the end, Renoa excused herself from the nobles and pushed through the crowd toward them.
"My guardian was committing a great rudeness while I turned my eyes away for a moment."
A chilly voice descended over the group where laughter had been blooming.
With narrowed eyes, Renoa glared at the paper crafts the ladies were holding as if they were precious treasures.
"He is a humble person who does not know etiquette. I did not know he would dare to flirt with the ladies by handing them trash. As his master, I apologize on his behalf."
"Agassi?"
A flustered Irion called out to her, but Renoa did not react.
She slowly took in the ladies whose faces were hardening one by one.
"However, no matter how bored you ladies are, the sight of you throwing yourselves at someone else's slave is beyond embarrassing. For a moment, I almost mistook this for a brothel."
"......!"
"As the representative of Edelheid, I deeply apologize for the fact that my knight contributed to this vulgar clowning. Irion. You apologize, too."
"...I am sorry."
"Then, we shall take our leave."
Renoa dragged Irion out. After bringing him to a place where there were no people, she glared at him with a chilly gaze.
"What are you doing?"
"I was just doing as you ordered, Agassi......."
"Don't you know moderation? If I had left you alone, would you have had an affair? Are you in heat? Should I take care of it for you?"
"......."
"Haa, forget it. Don't do anything and just stay by my side. I'll handle everything myself."
"Yeees."
Irion pouted.
He worked with all his might as ordered, but all he got back was sharp criticism.
'Annoying woman.'
This is why it's only a loss for a slave to work hard. I should just do enough to not get faulted.
It was just as Irion was grumbling to himself.
—Buuuuu!
A cheerful trumpet sound echoed long and loud.
The noisy hall became quiet in an instant, and the orchestra that had been playing melodies also put down their instruments and stood up in unison.
"The empire's brilliant second sun! Prince Jeonha is entering!"
Irion and Renoa's heads turned. Especially Irion, who stared intently with narrowed eyes.
In the very center of the third-floor balcony.
The First Prince appeared in the spot where the brilliant light of the chandelier poured down.
'He's finally out.'
First Prince Aether.
The male lead in charge of one of the protagonist's happy ending routes.
At the same time, he is the man who will kill the Dark Mage Renoa.