Memories from the past resurfaced vividly.
The Blake estate had always been grand, yet it never indulged in excessive ornamentation.
But today was different.
Tables overflowed with food and wine, elegantly dressed guests wandered about, and intricately embroidered carpets covered the floor beneath dazzling chandeliers. The sheer opulence was enough to make my eyes widen.
‘Wait a second.’
What? Chandeliers?
“Why the hell is that hanging here…?”
I dumbly tilted my head back to stare up at the ceiling. The chandelier, as if mocking my confusion, simply sparkled even more brilliantly in response.
Ever since the disaster that occurred when Belial arrived, the people of the North had grown utterly sick of chandeliers. To the point where, even during the annual festival—the only time the Blake territory allowed itself a touch of extravagance—not a single chandelier or anything remotely similar was permitted.
I had heard that every last chandelier in the entire castle had been thrown out.
“Is this some kind of cursed doll? Why does it keep coming back?”
And yet… it looked oddly brand new, gleaming with an unusual sheen.
“It was a gift.”
A voice suddenly spoke up behind me, making me nearly jump out of my skin.
“Ah!”
It was Sen.
Her short-cropped hair, now barely brushing past her shoulders, suited her well, as did her green dress. She looked even more cheerful than the last time I saw her.
“His Highness Belial personally commissioned it. He had it crafted to replicate the ice crystals found only in the North.”
I turned to look at Belial, who was approaching with a smug expression. Dressed like a peacock in full display, he puffed out his chest and preened.
“I put some thought into it. But really, this wasn’t a difficult feat, so no need to be too impressed.”
I was impressed—just not in the way he thought. But whatever. If he saw this as a good thing, so be it.
Maybe, upon visiting the Blake estate after so long and finding every chandelier gone, he’d worried about his own safety as the soon-to-be emperor. Or perhaps he intended to erase the shadows of past misfortunes and replace them with new, brighter memories.
‘They’re going to hate it even more.’
See? Even now, not a single person dared to step directly beneath the chandelier. Only the nearby orchestra, trembling pitifully, played their violins under its glow.
“I take it Your Highness is feeling well.”
I subtly conveyed my real message—Did you really have the time for this nonsense?
“Of course. I’m still in better shape than you. You looked completely drained at last night’s banquet.”
Belial, having caught my meaning, smirked as he replied. He was taking a jab at the fact that I had pushed myself too hard yesterday and ended up completely wiped out, not just in the afternoon but well into the evening as well.
“Aha…ha.”
Parched, I quickly downed a glass of champagne.
‘Kyle…!’
I told you! Repeatedly! Emphatically! That we should take it easy!
Speak of the devil—Kyle appeared just then. His black tailcoat, embroidered with crimson thread, suited him impeccably.
I shot him a glare, filled with all the resentment I could muster. He always pretended to listen but was, in truth, a subtle tyrant.
“Are you enjoying the banquet?”
Kyle, fully aware of my accusatory gaze, remained utterly composed as he asked the question.
I pursed my lips.
“Oh, absolutely. Thanks to someone, I’m having a fantastic time.”
“For someone enjoying it so much, you haven’t eaten all that much.”
“Really? Shu, didn’t you have much of an appetite?”
“Hm. I still had about five plates, though.”
Sen turned to me with a look of utter shock. I simply shrugged nonchalantly.
“Well, I still have to dance, you know. For the sake of a successful banquet, I showed some restraint.”
“…That was you holding back?”
“Of course.”
With the kind of brutal cold up in the North, just standing around and shivering burns through calories. You need to eat well. Food is survival.
“What do you plan to do after the festival?”
Belial lowered his voice as he asked the question.
Kyle’s gaze dropped slightly at the inquiry. The quiet smile that had been lingering on his lips disappeared, revealing his usual cold, imposing expression.
“I’ve gathered all the necessary information. It’s time to take action.”
He was talking about the Northern Mage Corps.
Since Nox’s death, the northern mages who had long coveted the region had lost considerable power. But it was only a temporary lull. Three of the mage lords were still alive, and as long as the one acting as their central pillar—the Drowned Corpse—remained unaccounted for, the threat would persist.
Sen had played a key role in uncovering information about the Drowned Corpse, Rosalia. Scouring the imperial library, she discovered that Rosalia had been the last mage of a long-extinct kingdom, wiped out centuries ago.
As for the Hollow Wraith, Lukit, he was nothing but an empty shell—he alone wouldn’t pose much of a problem.
But the Undertaker, Salina, was an issue. She had loved Lukit and had transformed him into a conduit, enabling communication between the mage lords.
Either Rosalia or Salina—one of them must be dealt with.
The new map, painstakingly charted to outline the treacherous northern terrain, was nearly complete. Once the festival ended, the specially assembled knight squad would set out for the Tower of Tides, marked on that very map, to launch a large-scale reconnaissance mission.
[(╯︵╰,)]
[:·´¯`(>﹏<)´¯`·:]
[ㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁㅁ!]
[ㅁㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁ!]
[ㅁㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁㅁ ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ!]
It seemed that the system’s sudden interest in me was somehow connected to the North. Every time I dealt with northern-related knowledge, it would flash incomprehensible messages or random emoticons at me like this.
…Well, fine. If I went there myself, maybe I could finally put this nagging curiosity to rest. Who knows? Perhaps exposure to the Deviation Interference wielded by the mage lords might even fix the system a little.
I was lost in thought for quite some time, mulling over the possibilities, when I felt a hand gently grasp my shoulder.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
Kyle was looking down at me, concern evident in his eyes. I quickly wiped away my serious expression and replied as lightly as possible.
“Oh, nothing. Just thinking that… maybe I could fit in two more plates before dancing?”
“Is there anything in particular you want to eat?”
If I so much as mentioned something, he looked ready to haul over an entire table for me.
I hurriedly grabbed his arm to stop him.
“I can! Get my own food! Thank you very much!”
Thankfully, at just the right moment, the attendants approached, handing out two flowers to each guest.
It was the Flower Offering Ceremony, a long-standing tradition of the Northern festival. The delicate white and crimson petals, blooming against the frozen earth, were both resilient and breathtaking.
‘Oh. This flower.’
It had been a while. This was the very same flower that had once gotten me into serious trouble.
The tradition remained unchanged. Of the two flowers given to each attendee, the white one symbolized respect, while the red one signified affection.
Now that I held the official position of Grand Duke Blake’s partner, I didn’t even have to pay an entry toll this time. Naturally, I intended to give both flowers to Kyle…
“Ahem.”
And then, of course, Belial had to butt in.
He looked down at me with his signature arrogant smirk and asked,
“The white flower symbolizes ‘respect,’ correct?”
I met his gaze with thinly veiled reluctance and replied,
“…Yes. And?”
But instead of scolding me for my lack of enthusiasm, his eyes gleamed with expectation as he responded,
“In that case, isn’t it only natural for a loyal citizen of the Meinhardt Empire to offer their respect to the soon-to-be emperor?”
“…I also provided the chandelier, you know.”
Can’t he see that everyone is actively avoiding it? That damned chandelier! My eternal nemesis! A nuisance whether it’s there or not!
“Hm. In that case, I suppose a truly respected emperor should demonstrate a proper, respectable gesture.”
Belial drawled lazily, puffing himself up with exaggerated grandeur.
“Budget concerns, for example.”
Money.
“Or the supplies needed to maintain the Northern forces.”
So, money.
“Perhaps, resources to endure the agricultural off-season…”
Now, money was a different story.
People don’t always act purely based on feelings, but let’s be real—sometimes, when there’s a little extra incentive, you find yourself willing to do things you weren’t planning on.
Without hesitation, I shoved the white flower toward Belial.
“Of course! You are the rising sun of Meinhardt! The North’s eternal ally! Ah… is there a sun hanging in this banquet hall? I suddenly feel something dazzling above my head.”
Sen’s eyes shimmered with pity as she watched me humiliate myself with such desperate enthusiasm.
Meanwhile, Kyle, who had just been robbed of the white flower in the blink of an eye, sulked.
“Shu. The Blake territory isn’t lacking in funds. You don’t have to go this far.”
“You don’t understand. The more money, the better.”
Belial had probably only been half-serious with his remarks, but considering our relationship, this level of flattery was worth the effort.
Still, when I glanced up at Kyle, I saw that his expression was more disappointed than I had expected.
“…This time, I was hoping to receive your respect.”
“Does it have to be through a flower? Respect is respect, no matter what.”
If he had any sense, he’d look at the basket. As always, the majority of the white flowers would end up in the Grand Duke’s hands. He was, after all, the undisputed ruler of the North.
And yet, Kyle’s gaze remained fixed on Belial, filled with lingering resentment. It was only natural for a prince with a competitive streak to bristle at losing.
Sigh.
These fools. Would they ever grow up? Watching them in moments like this made it painfully obvious that they were brothers.
Well, guess I have no choice.
With a deep sigh, I took the red flower and casually bit down on its stem. Then, tilting my chin up slightly, I gazed at Kyle.
As recognition flickered in his eyes, his lips curled into a satisfied smile.
“So that’s how you want to play it.”
His low voice was laced with amusement.
With a smirk, Kyle held out his red flower to me.
“I request the first dance of the night from you.”
And so, on the final night of the festival, just like that day in the past, Kyle and I stepped onto the dance floor as partners once again.
