The Frenzied Party (2)
A week before the party.
The private drawing room of the Senestia Ducal House.
Normally, this was a place where the soft footsteps of maids came and went, where the warm scent of black tea lingered, and where a gentle atmosphere always flowed. But today, the air in the drawing room was anything but ordinary.
“Have you completely lost your mind?”
“I’m sorry… Mother.”
The Duchess of Senestia was scolding Sucia. No, she was interrogating her.
“I thought you’d finally come to your senses lately, working in the Evaluation Department. But you were just biding your time, weren’t you? Planning an even bigger disaster?”
Sucia had always been prone to causing trouble, big or small. Still, the Duchess had sent her to the Evaluation Department to gain some real-world experience, and for a while it had seemed like her daughter was finally maturing into a responsible adult. But…
“I don’t know what to do with you anymore. Handle it yourself.”
The Duchess turned away coldly. Sucia clung to her.
“Just this once. Please help me, Mother. I can’t possibly manage this alone.”
“They say youth is painful. Consider this a harsh lesson.”
When a noble hosted a party, it carried many layers of meaning.
Are the young ones getting too full of themselves? Don’t they know who we are? A grand party could be thrown to flaunt one’s status. Or perhaps someone promising had caught the host’s eye, and a party offered the perfect excuse to build connections. Sometimes it was even a subtle way to isolate and ostracize a single disliked individual while inviting everyone else.
Such were the complicated implications behind a noble’s party.
Of course, there were also times when a party was held simply to celebrate a birthday or for pure enjoyment. But the Senestia Ducal House’s upcoming party had no such clear purpose. That, more than anything, made it deeply unsettling.
The Duke of Senestia, who always maintained strict neutrality, was hosting a party. No one could guess his true intentions. For the nobility, it was enough to drive them mad with anxiety. Any aristocrat with even a shred of interest in power had no choice but to attend and find out for themselves.
There was, of course, an official reason given.
‘Let’s all bake cookies and have fun together!’
Naturally, no one took that at face value.
‘Bake cookies? Does that mean he’s planning to roast the anti-emperor faction?’
‘Has the Duke of Senestia finally chosen a side?’
‘Ironically, in the ancient tongue, “cookie” can also mean “greed.” The Duke is about to bare his hidden fangs.’
Sucia, who had genuinely intended to bake real cookies, felt like she was going insane.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason the attendance rate had reached an all-time high. Even with the Duke of Senestia’s considerable influence, it wouldn’t have been enough to gather every major power on its own. This party had an unspoken guest of honor.
‘Askal Debr.’
The Director of the Imperial Evaluation Department, the man widely regarded as the closest to becoming the empire’s youngest minister. Not only those trying to read the Duke’s intentions, but also powerful nobles eager to form connections with this rising star had their eyes gleaming.
The Senestia household had ears everywhere and was well aware of these rumors.
“We can’t cancel it now… can we?”
“If you do, your already shaky reputation will hit rock bottom. How will you ever show your face in society again?”
It was true. Sucia, long rumored to be a troublemaker in noble circles, was walking a very fine line with her reputation. Thanks to the prestige of her ducal house, she had managed to maintain the image of “a little mischievous, but kind at heart.” But if this party turned out to be a lie…
‘Lady Sucia is attending that party? Then I’ll have to decline.’
‘Lady Sucia said that? Then we can’t trust her word.’
She would become the girl who cried wolf. That was why Sucia had to make this party a success no matter what. But she couldn’t possibly do it alone. She desperately needed her mother’s help, yet the Duchess had turned her back on her.
Still, there was always a way out.
“What’s all this commotion?”
Short gray hair. A neatly trimmed beard the same color as his hair. Though he had long since passed his fifties, his straight posture spoke of the Duke’s unyielding character. He had always been soft on his daughter. The Duke of Senestia looked at Sucia with gentle eyes.
“Father!”
The Duchess sighed at the sight. It was the same old pattern—Sucia caused trouble, and the Duke cleaned it up.
“So, you’re throwing a party. A lively, cheerful gathering for everyone. That’s a good thing.”
“I knew you’d understand, Father!”
“But it seems you’ve made this one rather large, haven’t you?”
Sucia gave a sheepish laugh.
“Yes. I only mentioned it to a few people, but everyone said they’d come. I couldn’t bring myself to turn anyone down, so…”
“I see. Who’s attending?”
Sucia recalled the guest list. There were quite a few names, but she remembered every single one.
“First, my superior, Askal Debr.”
“The young man you’ve been indebted to? I’ve been wanting to meet him. This will be a good opportunity.”
The Duke stroked his beard as he listened to his daughter.
“Count Tehern.”
“Ah, an honorable knight. Building connections with him would be wise.”
The Duke nodded. Count Tehern led the Lavender Knights and was known as a good man who valued honor.
“Viscount Yorick.”
“A man of considerable influence. Some may look down on his lower title, but his sway in central politics far exceeds that of many higher-ranking nobles. A fine guest.”
The Duke smiled.
“Marquess Haval.”
“My old friend! He won’t be a problem at all. In fact, he’ll probably help us with the party.”
Sucia swallowed. Up to this point, she had believed she could handle things. But from here on, the situation changed.
“You’re not angry, are you?”
“Of course not. Why would I be?”
“Crown Prince Cain will also be attending.”
The Duke’s words stopped for a moment.
“…Heh. We’ll need to pay extra attention to the hosting, then. A week isn’t much time at all.”
The Duke’s hand tightened on the armrest of his chair. The faint veins that rose on the back of his hand were probably just Sucia’s imagination.
Hosting the crown prince of the empire was an enormous burden, far beyond any honor it might bring. The most critical concern was safety. If the crown prince were assassinated at the party, even a ducal house would struggle to escape responsibility. It would mean the end of the entire family. Or what if the food went bad and he suffered food poisoning? That, too, would be a grave crime on the Duke’s part for failing to inspect the provisions. The number of things to worry about—routes, guards, food—multiplied endlessly.
The Duke sighed. Still, it was within acceptable limits. Hosting the crown prince carried great risk, but also great reward. Building rapport with the man who would almost certainly become the next emperor was obviously beneficial, and even a single word of praise from him about the party’s enjoyment would elevate the Duke’s standing.
“Yes, it will be a wonderful party.”
“Um… Princess Serena will be coming as well.”
Crack.
A strange sound came from the armrest. Sucia looked away.
“Princess Serena is… quite particular.”
Particular. The word carried many meanings—persistent, troublesome, exhausting. In a way, Princess Serena was even more difficult to host than Crown Prince Cain, who was generally considered a good-natured man.
There was a famous incident. A young lady who had just debuted in society accidentally stepped on Princess Serena’s dress hem. From that day on, strange rumors began to circulate about her—that she had wet the bed at night, that she had engaged in bizarre acts with her pet dog. And the young lady never appeared in society again. The truly terrifying part was that the rumors weren’t entirely false…
The Duke’s eyes narrowed. If there was even the slightest flaw at the party—subpar food, clumsy hosting—Princess Serena was the type who would seize upon it as a weakness. The difficulty of the event had just risen another notch.
“Sucia… Next time you plan something like this, make sure to get permission first.”
The Duke’s face looked slightly weary. From now on, they would have to move quickly. As he stood up, Sucia spoke in a small voice behind him.
“It’s not over yet… Princess Julia is also attending. And so are Count Dvar and Marquess Saharin…”
The Duke turned around.
“Duchess. Bring me the cane from my study.”
“I’ve been waiting for those words.”
The legendary paulownia-wood cane, long unused, was about to awaken once more…
The day of the party.
“No matter what anyone says~ the world is beautiful~”
Askal hummed a tune inside the carriage. The carriage provided to him upon becoming a fifth-rank official was truly first-class. The seats were luxurious leather, soft and comfortable, and the wheels were of high quality, minimizing any shaking.
And…
“Just wait, Sucia. I’ll show you what real cookies are.”
The ingredient pouch he held close to his chest contained the finest flour, eggs, and butter he had personally selected. With these, he had no doubt he could win any competition, no matter who showed up.
Askal looked out the window with an excited heart. They would soon arrive at the ducal mansion. The residence of a prominent noble was a feast for the eyes just to behold.
‘…Something feels off.’
It was strange. Sucia had clearly said it would be a “small tea party,” yet the number of carriages he had been seeing for a while now kept increasing.
A crow emblem. That belonged to Marquess Haval. An owl emblem. That was Count Tehern’s. A shovel emblem. That was Viscount Yorick’s.
It didn’t end there. Carriages kept coming, one after another. Askal sensed danger.
“Turn the carriage around!!!!!!!!!!”
He had to escape right now.
“Ah, Lord Askal. There are knights blocking the road.”
“What did you say?”
Askal peered out the carriage window. Just as the coachman had said, knights in splendid armor were blocking his path. And on their shoulders, without exception, was the eagle emblem.
The Silver Knights of the Senestia Ducal House.
‘Why are the Silver Knights stopping me?’
It was human nature to feel nervous when guards approached, even without having done anything wrong. Askal felt his heart pounding.
“Lord Askal Debr. Would you mind stepping out of the carriage for a moment?”
The words were polite, but the atmosphere was unmistakably coercive. Askal had no choice but to get out.
“What’s going on?”
The tall, armored men with swords at their sides were intimidating. But he had to stand tall. He was an invited guest. He had nothing to fear.
“Welcome to the Senestia Ducal House, Askal Debr.”
A woman in a dress appeared from behind the knights. Her hair was elegantly braided, and her face was beautifully made up with bright tones.
“…Sucia?”
She looked as though she had applied her makeup with the intensity of a knight donning full armor, but Askal recognized her unique presence. This woman was Sucia.
Thud.
At that moment, the Silver Knights suddenly dropped to one knee in unison. Their movements were precise and disciplined. Then Sucia rushed forward, grasping Askal’s hands with both of hers and pleading desperately.
“Director… Please help me… I’m in huge trouble…”
The Silver Knights echoed her in chorus.
“Please help us!”
“Please help us!”
Askal’s mind went blank.
‘What on earth have you done this time…?’