It was a mistake to become too emotionally involved.
It was strange that my account was still active.
I knew, but I ignored it.
“Isn’t it all going to happen today anyway?”
“What do you mean?”
“The banquet. We have to attend, don’t we? Everything will come to light anyway.”
“…”
I don’t know.
This wasn’t how the plan was supposed to go. I might have to leave the rest to fate.
“This is what happens when you stick your nose into other people’s business unnecessarily.”
Ray was right.
I meddled in something I could’ve just ignored.
I could’ve let Ray handle everything.
But—
“It was a t*rrorist attack. How could I ignore something that could cost lives?”
Because of my meddling, lives were saved.
People who didn’t need to die were spared.
“Are you sure it’s not just because you’re worried about Her Majesty?”
“…”
Wearing the formal attire required of an envoy from the Eastern Duchy, I wrapped my face meticulously in the mask that Valtean made.
I moved my facial muscles around to test it. There seemed to be no risk of detection.
Unless someone exceptionally skilled paid close attention, it would be flawless.
At least at tonight’s banquet, I wouldn’t be found out.
“Captain, just to confirm—you know the revolutionaries aren’t completely eradicated yet, right?”
“I know. I spread some rumors near the palace guard.”
The remnants of the revolutionary army supposedly remained near the Few Inner sector of the capital.
Their plans weren’t over yet—they were said to be lying low, cutting off contact with their allies to prepare for a bigger scheme.
From what Roen told me, the other revolutionaries outside were different from those within the capital.
Thus, caution was necessary, and Roen’s warning was worth heeding.
Ern had used money to bribe people and spread the rumors.
Whether the guards would take them seriously was uncertain, but at the very least, security wouldn’t be lax.
“Lea hasn’t retired yet, has she?”
“She’s still active.”
“Then here’s an order as the soon-to-be reinstated Captain of the Personal Guard. Have Astrape, Triaina, and Kyne Special Forces sweep the entire Few Inner sector.”
I’ll take responsibility for the consequences.
Ray’s lips curled into a broad smile at those words.
“Understood.”
*****
By now, reports about my account being used must have reached the higher-ups.
The news would likely reach Epherna either right after the banquet or the day before.
All I could do was hope it would be the latter.
“The envoy from the Eastern Duchy has arrived!”
In the early afternoon, the herald at the banquet entrance announced our arrival.
I could feel sharp gazes piercing me, but they dissipated in seconds.
They must have realized Dairon hadn’t come.
‘Better this way.’
There’s no benefit to attracting attention.
Especially not now, when revolutionaries could emerge from anywhere at any time.
Who could it be?
Was the target even here in this hall?
I scanned the room casually but couldn’t tell.
Even the Dragon Eyes can’t read minds.
The banquet had just begun, and the atmosphere was calm.
Low murmurs came from various corners, but the gathering wasn’t noisy, likely due to the sparse attendance.
This setting worked to my advantage.
“May I join your conversation?”
It wouldn’t be odd to speak to anyone in this setting.
“Oh my! Of course!”
The reply came from a young noblewoman with pink hair and a bright expression.
Yet, her voice carried a subtle undertone of rejection.
This wasn’t an ordinary noblewoman—her ability to mask her feelings was exceptional.
Most men wouldn’t notice, but the slight trembling at the corner of her lips and the falter in her voice were telltale signs.
“You were speaking of our lord’s heroic deeds, were you not? As a loyal subject, my heart swells with pride. Please forgive the impertinence of interrupting your conversation.”
“Impertinent? Not at all! Please, speak freely!”
It didn’t matter to me whether she liked or disliked me.
What mattered was confirming whether she and her companions were remnants of the revolutionaries.
Though the process of elimination—one conversation at a time—was tedious, I had plenty of time.
*****
The nobles attending the coronation banquet weren’t all human.
The Empire and the Shaman Union shared a symbiotic relationship, respecting each other’s positions and exchanging envoys during significant events.
This time, the Shaman Union’s envoy was Meriel.
Meriel, eager to see her sister Merien, volunteered to serve as the envoy and attend the banquet.
Now, however, she was stifling yawns.
“So boring….”
Had she expected too much?
Unlike her vision of lively entertainment and music, the banquet was slow and tranquil.
Though it had only just begun, to Meriel, it felt unbearably dull.
Occasionally, young noblemen approached her for conversation, but Meriel declined most, save for one or two.
She felt no emotion toward them.
All of them knew her name and status—an indication of her high standing—but she didn’t see it as a good thing.
Meriel had always been observant.
Perhaps that’s why it was so easy to distinguish between their true intentions and their polite masks.
It was painfully obvious that they were more interested in her family’s influence than in her as a person.
“Hah…”
If she were honest, Meriel wasn’t here for politics.
She came to find a man.
Meriel was at a marriageable age.
Just three years ago, she was still a teenager, but now she was in her twenties.
Despite this, she had neither a fiancé nor a boyfriend. She had never even considered dating a Shaman man, believing none of them were suitable.
She had hoped to find someone in the Empire who might match her.
But instead of finding an ideal partner, she hadn’t even encountered anyone remotely interesting.
Maybe she should’ve skipped the banquet and gone sightseeing instead.
While thinking about such things—
“…Who is that guy?”
Someone caught Meriel’s eye.
He was the envoy representing Dairon, the lord of the Eastern Duchy, and he was talking to anyone who crossed his path.
The topics of his conversations were mundane.
He’d compliment someone’s earrings, ask if they’d heard about the bankruptcy of a certain baron’s estate, or comment on how delightful the coffee was at a particular café.
He’d chat for about five minutes before moving on to the next person.
He was strange.
If he had made the effort to attend such a prestigious event and engage in conversation, shouldn’t it be to gain some benefit? Why waste time on such trivial topics?
As she mulled over these thoughts, another realization struck her.
“Why hasn’t he spoken to me?”
It became clear to her.
Despite the time that had passed, he had yet to approach her.
What started as suspicion soon solidified into certainty.
He had spoken to everyone else in the banquet hall, but not her.
Was it pride or momentary stubbornness?
Meriel decided to ask him directly.
She took a confident step forward—
“Whoa—!!”
—And promptly slipped on the polished floor that the attendants had worked so hard to shine the previous day.
Wearing high heels, she couldn’t regain her balance.
With a thud—
Someone’s hand supported her back just in time, saving her head from hitting the ground.
“Whew…”
Letting out a sigh of relief, she turned to see who had helped her.
After all, she owed them a thank you.
“Oh…”
But the words wouldn’t come out.
The man, who had been some distance away just moments ago, now stood before her as if he had crossed the space in an instant.
*****
… That was close.
What was she thinking, walking on a slippery floor in heels with no apparent athletic skill?
‘No, that’s not the issue here.’
It’s okay to walk.
“Your heels are too high.”
Ern remarked, carefully helping Meriel to her feet.
“Why were you coming to see me?”
“Um…”
What’s wrong with her?
“Thank… you?”
Standing upright now, Meriel looked at Ern with a dazed expression.
She seemed overwhelmed, so Ern waited patiently for her to speak.
“Excuse me.”
Finally, she spoke.
“Yes?”
“Why haven’t you spoken to me?”
“…?”
Ern was at a loss for words.
He hadn’t expected her to notice.
“…I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Don’t play dumb. I’ve been watching you.”
This was troubling.
He could make an excuse, but that would only make her more suspicious, potentially hindering his plans.
He needed to dispel her doubts somehow.
Just then—
Dong—! Dong—! Dong—!
The heavy chime of a bell echoed through the banquet hall three times.
The laughing and chatting nobles and Imperial officials fell silent as if on cue.
The herald, who had previously been boisterous, straightened his posture and raised his voice.
“All hail! The one and only Empress of the Grand Empire of Grandeum, chosen by the gods and supreme above all, enters!”
Every human in the banquet hall, over a hundred in total, bowed their heads in reverence.
It was a slow, deliberate stride.
The woman who entered had hair like sunlight.
She looked as though she had stepped out of a legend, a goddess sculpted into form.
Her eyes radiated a golden brilliance, as if holding the sun itself.
It signified that she had finally reached the level of the divine.
For a moment, Ern thought he was seeing someone else.
The traces of her youthful innocence were completely gone, but that wasn’t all.
Her entire presence had changed.
No longer a princess—she was now the Empress.
The aura of authority he had once seen only in her father now radiated from Epherna.
