Chapter 58 : I never thought I’d see a face here that I didn’t want to see

“Wow… This is amazing.”

A gasp of admiration slipped from Serena’s lips as she took in the banquet hall.

I had similar thoughts.

Events held at the royal capital were always extravagant, but this time, it was clear they had pulled out all the stops.

The enormous chandelier on the ceiling shone like a miniature sun, casting brilliant light over everything.

Musicians filled the hall with a sweet melody that delighted the ears,and the guests, dressed to impress, added a touch of elegance to the old-fashioned atmosphere.

They were probably trying to show off to the people from the Levath Kingdom.

There must have been political motives hidden behind this spotless and dazzling banquet,but honestly, I didn’t care.

What mattered more was finding him—the person who was here tonight.

“Oh my, Count, you’ve come too?”

Just then, a familiar voice seemed to call out to me.

I turned my head, and just as I’d expected, Lady Lins approached me with a wine glass in her left hand.

It had been quite some time since I’d seen her face in person.

Even so, her skin still looked so youthful and firm—it was hard to believe she was over forty.

“To think I’d run into you here. I was feeling a bit lonely not knowing anyone, so this is a relief.”

“I feel the same. But, didn’t you come with Miss Lilia?”

“That girl tries to avoid events like this when she can. If she knew Miss Serena would be here, she probably would have come. It’s a shame.”

Lady Lins let out a small sigh, and her gaze soon turned toward Serena.

“I saw Miss Serena just a few days ago, and here we are meeting again. She’s even more beautiful than before.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Lady Lins.”

At that, Serena gently lowered her head, covering her chest with one hand.

“It’s a pity though… When Miss Serena and my daughter played together in their younger days, they were just like angels.”

“Uh… I see?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just feeling a little wistful about how quickly time flies.”

Lady Lins’s eyes were staring off into the distance.

Curious what she was looking at, I followed her gaze—but there was nothing there.

Or perhaps she was seeing a memory from the past, playing out like a painting only visible to her.

Whatever the case, it reminded me she was still dangerous in that regard.

Should I be relieved by that?

Ah.

This isn’t the time to be spacing out.

“Lady Lins, do you happen to know where Prince Reyzen is right now?”

“If you’re looking for him, he’s over there. See?”

When I asked, she pointed toward a group of people.

More precisely, a group of women clustered together.

And amidst them, I caught a glimpse of red hair.

Enough to confirm that the one surrounded by those women was indeed Prince Reyzen.

But still, why were there so many gathered around him?

It’d be difficult to approach him like that.

“Why? Do you need something from Prince Reyzen?”

“It’s not really anything important…”

I wanted to introduce him to you, but of course, I couldn’t say that out loud.

Now how should I handle this.

“…Hmm. Then I’ll go talk to him for a bit.”

“Huh?”

While I was still caught up in my thoughts, Serena, who had been staring intently at me, suddenly started walking toward Prince Reyzen.

Well, it’s nice that she’s going to him on her own.

I’m not sure if she’ll make it through all those women safely.

“Hehe. Serena is surprisingly assertive, isn’t she?”

Lady Lins, who had been observing the situation, smiled in satisfaction.

She probably thought Serena was trying to make a good impression on him.

Honestly, I wish that were the case.

Even a little bit is fine—just try to appeal to him, please.

“Well then, shall we adults have a chat of our own?”

“Well… sure.”

In any case, all I could hope for was that the two of them would find a reason to see each other as potential partners.

So I was about to spend some time chatting with Lady Lins when—“Excuse me, you’re Count Christian, right?”

“…”

A voice called my name—it sounded familiar, and yet irritating.

‘Please don’t let it be who I think it is.’

The person I least wanted to see at this event.

Someone I’d rather hadn’t come at all.

But I couldn’t ignore her completely, so I had to turn my head.

Rings adorned with jewels on every finger, and a dress that stood out more than necessary.

The smirk twisting at the corner of her lips ruined what might have been a beautiful face.

Still, I had to bow my head first.

“…It’s been a while, Princess Rosiria.”

She was an honored guest who had traveled far from her homeland—a royal princess.

*

“You seem even more dependable than when we last met, Your Highness.”

“May I have this dance with you?”

“Ah, um… that is…”

Surrounded by women, Prince Reyzen was struggling under their eager, admiring gazes.

The sticky desire practically radiating from them was overwhelming for someone as innocent as him.

As a result, his usual formal speech and demeanor had completely broken down.

‘What am I supposed to do in a situation like this…?’

He didn’t have much experience with women to begin with, so he had no idea how to escape.

He could only hope someone would come help him.

“Prince Reyzen? Do you have a moment?”

Just then, a woman slipped through the group of ladies surrounding him and stepped in front of him.

Her braided hair and snow-white skin gave her a neat and pure look, like a pearl.

Despite her delicate features, the black dress and long lashes gave her a hint of mature elegance.

With a playful smile at the corner of her lips, Serena spoke to him.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to talk for a bit… is that okay?”

“Ah, y-yes, of course.”

Sensing what she was trying to do, Reyzen nodded.

Serena had come to rescue him, giving him an excuse to escape the situation he found so uncomfortable.

Thanks to her, he was able to relax a bit, but…“Hey, who are you supposed to be?”

“Just barging in like that—how rude. I’ve never seen you before. What family are you from?”

The women who had been hitting on Reyzen weren’t about to let her go quietly.

She was much younger than them, and prettier too.

And now, after all their attempts had been ignored, this girl swoops in and steals his attention?

Of course they’d be upset.

“…Do I really need to tell you that?”

Serena tilted her head as she asked, making their brows furrow deeply.

She wasn’t trying to be rude—she genuinely didn’t understand why she needed to answer.

“J-just come with me! It’s crowded here, let’s talk outside!”

“Ah—Your Highness!”

Sensing the tension, Reyzen quickly grabbed Serena’s hand and rushed out of the ballroom.

Even as the women called after him, he didn’t look back.

The two left the ballroom and walked down the corridor to the outdoor terrace.

Unlike the noisy hall, the terrace was quiet, with the cool night breeze greeting them gently.

“…Why don’t you let go of this already?”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t even realize.”

Only after Serena spoke did Reyzen realize he had been holding her hand tightly.

He quickly let go.

He did feel a bit reluctant to let go of the soft, smaller hand than his own, though.

“Anyway, our prince here sure is popular, huh? She asked so nicely—why didn’t you just dance with her?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If I had, she’d just use that to bother me even more.”

A gathering of nobles isn’t just a place to eat, drink, and chat.

It’s a marketplace of negotiations, where people try to create as many connections as possible to get what they want.

To Reyzen, who had learned politics before he learned romance, Serena’s words must’ve sounded foolish.

“…Still, thanks for helping me. I felt like I was going to suffocate.”

“Don’t be such a baby. For someone your size, you sure are timid, huh?”

“I’m perfectly reasonable!”

He certainly had grown taller and his body had been trained well over time.

And with his refined appearance, he had a face that would easily draw attention from women.

Even Serena had to admit that Reyzen was handsome.

But that was all.

“Right, my sister was looking for you.”

“W-What? Th-The Countess was looking for me…?”

Serena, resting her hand on the terrace railing and gazing beyond the now-dark mountain ridge, spoke up.

Reyzen ‘s face lit up at her words, but he quickly coughed and tried to hide his joy.

“Ahem. D-Do you know why?”

“No idea. Why don’t you go ask her later? Maybe she wants to know why you called her earlier?”

“…If it’s just that, she’ll figure it out on her own without me having to say anything.”

At her follow-up, Reyzen’s voice immediately lost its energy.

He had thought the person he had a crush on was finally taking an interest in him, only to find out otherwise—and it was enough to dampen his spirits.

Serena didn’t miss that reaction.

“Why do you look so disappointed? You’re the one crushing on her all by yourself.”

“W-Who says I like her?! I was just curious, that’s all!”

“Liar. I’ve been holding back saying this all along, but you do know it’s super obvious, right?”

Even as she spoke, she wondered if she really had to say all this.

Maybe it was the atmosphere of the night getting to her.

But now that it was out, she decided to just lay it all bare—how she had noticed his feelings long ago.

After all, Reyzen was one of the many rivals eyeing her sister, Ershi.

“You like my sister, don’t you? Am I wrong?”