I urgently sought Osric Balmore, who was older than me.
However, he had already moved away and waved at me awkwardly from behind the Emblem Knights.
‘Is he telling me to handle this on my own?’
It seemed that the camaraderie we had was dead. I was trembling with a sense of betrayal.
Desperately, I recalled Jade Gray, who had been beside Enoch during the awards ceremony, and spoke quickly.
“Enoch, call your grandfather. We can’t handle this alone.”
“He couldn’t come. He had to rush to the palace for an urgent matter.”
“What? Your grandfather too? So did my mother.”
“…Aunt Melsia was called too?”
I remembered my mother’s face as she followed the emperor. For the first time in my life, I saw her lose her composure. It was definitely not good news.
If Jade Gray couldn’t attend this party, which was hosted by Enoch, something serious must have happened.
“What’s going on?”
Enoch’s expression became serious as he seemed to have the same thought.
But could we, at just seven years old, even begin to understand the affairs of adults who run the country?
In the end, we could only deal with the matters in front of us. We had to stop the two knight orders, who looked ready to start a brawl.
“At least my father came along… Where is he?”
“Oh, right! Uncle Edward is here!”
Only then did I remember Enoch’s father, Edward Gray, who had an even weaker presence than my father.
Edward Gray, husband to Aunt Diana and Enoch’s father, was a handsome man with a delicate appearance that stirred a protective instinct.
However, his pale skin and timid demeanor made his presence almost invisible, unlike my dad, who could control his presence intentionally.
“He’s around here somewhere. Look carefully.”
Uncle Edward was hard to spot unless you paid close attention. Looking around for him, Enoch spotted him first and waved.
“……..!”
Turning my head in the direction Enoch was looking, I saw Uncle Edward struggling through the crowd, away from us.
“Uncle!”
When I shouted with joy, the knights of Emblem and Gray, who had been fighting, turned to look at Uncle Edward.
“…Huff, huff, hello, Cherrya!”
Uncle Edward finally emerged from the crowd, panting, and greeted me. He looked so exhausted.
“Are you okay?”
A knight from Emblem expressed concern. Uncle Edward’s face turned red. Standing behind Enoch, he mumbled a response.
“Thank you for your concern. I’m fine now. I wanted to get to Enoch, but no one would let me through…”
Uncle Edward’s hand, resting on Enoch’s shoulder, was trembling slightly. He must have exerted a lot of effort to push through the crowd.
‘He’s so fragile.’
I wondered how he could be of any use. But looking at his delicate form and trembling eyelashes, I changed my mind.
Enoch’s dazzling appearance must have come from him. Though he lacked presence, his delicate features made you want to protect him. Aunt Diana probably married him for that charm.
“But why were they fighting just now?”
Uncle Edward looked puzzled as he glanced between the two knight orders.
The knights, who had been arguing, fell silent when they saw Uncle Edward’s trembling hands and eyes. They must have felt the same protective instinct I did.
“Nothing was happening. We were just talking as usual…”
“Yes, just like usual.”
The knights of Emblem and Gray quickly agreed as if their previous hostility had been a lie.
“The knight Orders usually fight…”
Uncle Edward sighed.
His delicate presence had a calming effect on the knights’ chivalry, which both Emblem and Gray possessed.
The conflict was resolved simply by Uncle Edward’s presence.
I sighed in relief and nudged Enoch.
“You should have called him earlier.”
“…I forgot.”
“Really!”
He was so unnoticeable that even his own son had briefly forgotten him. I considered Uncle Edward’s lack of presence a kind of talent.
“Uncle, can I talk to Enoch for a moment?”
I had something I wanted to ask Enoch. Seizing the opportunity to slip away with him, I asked Uncle Edward directly.
“…No, lady!”
“Young master, please refuse.”
The two knight orders quickly whispered to Enoch and me. Pretending not to hear them, I gave Uncle Edward a pleading look.
There was something I needed to say to Enoch when we were alone. To separate the two knight orders, who were acting childishly despite their age, I needed Uncle Edward’s permission.
“I also have something to say to Cherry, Father. It won’t take long.”
This time, Enoch was behaving in a way that I found agreeable.
I never imagined it would be this difficult to exchange even a single word with Enoch without our parents around.
Now, I truly realized that Emblem and Gray were mortal enemies. Seeing the two knight orders unable to endure even a fleeting moment together made it clear.
‘I heard from Mom and Aunt Diana that things have improved a lot thanks to their efforts.’
It was dreadful to imagine how fiercely they must have fought in our grandfathers’ time.
“Alright, there’s a terrace over there. It would be good for you to go and talk with Enoch.”
“But…”
“The two knight orders will take responsibility and protect you, so you can talk without worry.”
Uncle Edward finished speaking, staring at the Gray knight who was about to object.
The Gray knight, caught in Uncle Edward’s gaze, could say no more and bit his lip as he stepped back.
Uncle Edward looked at me again and smiled. Though it was a gentle smile, it felt more reassuring than anyone else’s at that moment.
‘Aunt Diana really chose a good husband.’
Feeling a bit envious of Aunt Diana, I signaled to Enoch. We needed to act quickly while Uncle Edward was holding the line.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
Unlike usual, Enoch and I ran towards the terrace like good friends. We didn’t look back, fearing we might get caught up in the fray again if we delayed.
“Young lady!”
I ignored the voice of the Emblem knight calling out desperately from a distance. Even if they saw me as cold now, a few smiles at the mansion later would surely smooth things over.
“Hey, lock the door.”
“I’ve drawn the curtains too.”
“Huff…”
Once inside the terrace, after thoroughly checking our surroundings, I collapsed onto the spot, feeling like I could finally breathe. It had been an exhausting day.
From the awards ceremony to the party, the relentless schedule left my mind more fatigued than my body.
I felt overwhelmed thinking about the numerous events and parties I would have to attend as I got older.
“I will never come to such a place without my Mom or Dad again.”
“…Me neither.”
Enoch, looking equally worn out, sat down next to me. For a while, both of us remained silent, feeling as if our spirits had left our bodies.
