***
Music flowed out beyond the banquet hall, filling the air.
Bright lights and seasonal floral decorations matched the atmosphere perfectly.
Chatter, laughter, and voices brimming with excitement created a lively spring banquet ambiance.
Everyone was already fully immersed in the festivities.
“The Emperor, Empress, and Princess are entering!”
With the announcement of our entrance, all eyes turned to us.
“It’s an honor to attend the spring banquet with the princess.”
“As expected, the princess is different from us.”
Since I rarely made official public appearances except as a child, it was natural for people to be curious about me.
I walked slowly and deliberately, ensuring that I presented myself well.
“Look at that green brooch.”
“It matches the Emperor’s and Princess’s eye color, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it look so noble?”
“It suits her perfectly.”
“The Empress’s tiara also has a green emerald.”
“My goodness… Don’t they look like such a harmonious family?”
“Indeed. It’s so lovely to see such a caffectionate imperial family.”
I didn’t need to make an extra effort to showcase anything; the sharp-eyed nobles noticed immediately.
From now on, I planned to always wear accessories with green accents at official events.
‘Over time, it will leave a lasting impression as a symbol.’
As I exchanged light glances with the ladies in the hall, smiling warmly, another stir swept through the crowd.
Serdin and Hayron had entered the banquet hall.
“Is that the Archmage?”
“He’s younger than I thought. He doesn’t even look older than his mid-20s.”
“Archmages must stand out from an early age.”
“Well, they are born geniuses. Remember Archmage Sherina? She was already making her mark as soon as she became an adult.”
Hayron smiled leisurely as he listened to the murmurs around him.
It was as if he was genuinely enjoying the gossip about himself.
He basked in the attention directed at him, seemingly savoring every moment of it.
Then, with a grin still plastered on his face, Hayron approached Delight.
“It’s an honor to meet the Emperor of Promian. I am Hayron, Archmage of the Ilnord Empire.”
When the two stood face-to-face, the room fell silent, with all eyes glued to them.
Even without words, a strange tension filled the space as they gazed at each other.
“To liven up the atmosphere and as a gift for Foundation Day, may I offer a small performance?”
Hayron greeted Delight smoothly as he made his proposal.
However, his request was essentially a declaration to showcase his abilities in the heart of Promian.
If Delight rejected the proposal, it would only make things look worse.
It would appear as though he was wary and defensive of Hayron.
“Go ahead.”
As expected, Delight had no choice but to agree.
“Thank you.”
Hayron grinned before turning toward the audience.
“Would everyone please gather near the windows for a moment? I have a spectacular sight to share with you.”
Though hesitant at first, people began moving toward the windows one by one. Some even headed toward the entrance.
What was he planning to show them?
How powerful was Ilnord’s Archmage, whose reputation preceded him?
Everyone watched with curiosity and anticipation as Hayron began chanting a spell.
A bright, white light appeared in his hands, shining like a star.
All eyes followed the white light as he extended his hand out the window.
Suddenly, fireworks burst into the night sky.
The fireworks grew massive, resembling the Milky Way, and slowly moved.
“Look at that!”
Someone exclaimed in awe.
The fireworks merged and dispersed repeatedly in the night sky, eventually forming a single sentence.
– May days like today continue –
It was a celebratory message filled with goodwill.
“Happy Foundation Day. I also hope the peace between Promian and Ilnord lasts forever,”
Hayron said, addressing Delight with respectful words.
“Of course, I also wish for everyone attending today’s banquet to have a wonderful time,”
He added, turning toward the audience with a proud expression.
“…Wow.”
A short but heartfelt exclamation escaped someone’s lips.
“Did he create that?”
“My goodness, it’s so beautiful. Truly impressive.”
The glowing message in the night sky left everyone in awe.
“To create such a display in the night sky requires incredibly precise skills.”
“And maintaining it must consume an enormous amount of mana.”
“It seems the announcement from Ilnord’s imperial family wasn’t a lie.”
As the stunning, dreamlike display captivated everyone’s attention, people began discussing Hayron’s abilities.
“It really seems so. He might even be greater than we expected.”
Before everyone’s eyes, Hayron had showcased his talents.
The banquet’s spotlight now belonged solely to him.
That was likely the outcome he had desired all along.
Though music played, people weren’t gathering to dance on the stage as they should have been.
Instead, the music served only as background noise to Hayron’s voice.
The stage was entirely overshadowed as everyone listened intently to what he had to say.
“I understand some of you may have doubts about my abilities,”
His words made some people flinch, as though he had seen right through them.
“Haha, but that’s natural. It’s hard to acknowledge a genius who appears out of nowhere.”
Hayron chuckled lightheartedly.
“But no matter how skilled someone is, there comes a day when they have to acknowledge a genius who surpasses them.”
Those words were clearly meant for Delight.
And I immediately recognized where they came from.
They were almost identical to the words the Crown Prince of Ilnord had said to me long ago.
“Which is why I must not become complacent, even with my abilities. I must always strive to ensure I’m never surpassed, no matter who comes along.”
The way he added that final remark made him even more insufferable.
He feigned humility while using the moment to boast arrogantly about himself.
“To be both a genius and hardworking—how impressive.”
Despite his conceit, the combination of his dazzling magic and charisma had won over many in the audience.
They nodded in admiration, completely swept up by his words.
‘Hmph. All the attention is focused on him now.’
Today was supposed to be about celebrating Foundation Day and the spring banquet.
Yet on this day, one person had managed to steal all the attention.
While some might welcome this newfound interest in him, it left a bitter taste for others.
‘Hmm.’
I wondered how those who had worked so hard to prepare for today might feel about this situation.
Sure enough, I noticed a few nobles throwing Hayron subtle, disapproving glances.
‘See? You need to read the room before acting out.’
The stars of tonight’s banquet were, without question, the young men and women of age.
They wanted to get to know each other, exchange glances, and share dances.
‘Time to shift the atmosphere.’
I signaled the musicians to raise the volume of the music.
Gradually, people’s attention began returning to the stage and the music.
This was the perfect moment to draw everyone’s focus back to the purpose of the event.
Just then, one of the young noblemen, who had been sneaking glances at me, approached.
“Princess, may I have the honor of a dance?”
He bowed slightly and asked politely.
“Thank you for asking.”
I smiled lightly and was just about to accept when—
Before I could finish my sentence, Serdin appeared beside me.
“Pardon me. Unfortunately, the princess already has a prior engagement.”
“What?”
The young nobleman who had approached me was quickly edged out by Serdin.
With a confident smile, Serdin turned to me and spoke.
“Would you care to dance with me?”
He extended his hand toward me.
“You weren’t planning to dance with someone else, were you?”
“What are you talking about? I’m someone who keeps my promises.”
I took Serdin’s offered hand and replied.
“Shall we go, then?”
“With pleasure.”
With our arms linked, Serdin and I became the first to step onto the dance floor.
As we began to dance, all eyes in the banquet hall were on us.
It felt as though time had frozen, with only the two of us moving in the space.
Before long, others began to join us on the dance floor, pairing up to dance as well.
The music continued to play, and more couples filled the dance floor.
Before long, the stage became so packed it was difficult to move.
Serdin and I kept dancing as well.
I had planned to leave the stage after one song, but every time the music stopped, more noblemen approached me to ask for a dance.
And every single time, Serdin immediately stepped in and asked me to dance again, effectively dismissing the others.
“Do you even know how many songs we’ve danced to by now?”
“You promised to grant my wish, remember?”
Darn it. My mistake was not setting a limit on how many dances that wish would entail.
Next time, I needed to be more specific with the conditions.
My legs were beginning to feel tired, so I leaned slightly on Serdin for support.
“You’re getting heavier, aren’t you?”
“Should we stop now?”
“No. Dancing feels like training, and I like it.”
“Oh? That’s great, then. Hehe.”
Without hesitation, I lightly stepped onto Serdin’s foot.
“Ugh.”
“This much is manageable, right?”
Thanks to this tactic, I felt like I could handle a few more dances.
After three more songs, we finally left the stage.
As we stepped down, Hayron approached us.
“You two make a wonderful pair on the dance floor,”
He remarked to Serdin in a friendly tone.
What’s with him?
I frowned slightly as Hayron looked back and forth between Serdin and me before speaking again.
“I’ve always wondered why His Highness hasn’t married yet.”
“Hayron. What are you saying…?”
Serdin tried to stop him, but—
“Now I understand the reason.”
Hayron smiled meaningfully, his words dripping with insinuation.
“You two suit each other very well.”
“!”
What nonsense is he spouting now?
