episode_0076

Episode 76 Imperial Banquet (2)

The flickering lights on the ceiling. The splendid interior. The banquet hall was beautiful.

Below, the banquet hall was filled with people. Though they seemed to be enjoying the banquet at first glance, their attention was focused on the entrance where the students were entering.

Tianis Academy is a place where the continent’s geniuses gather. And the students attending the banquet are all in the top ranks of their respective grades.

In other words, they are figures who will make a name for themselves in the future in one way or another. So, they couldn’t help but be interested. Some seemed eager to approach them right away.

The reason they gathered the students from the student hall and brought them here was for this purpose. If they entered separately, they would have all the attention stolen by other participants.

However, after Chloe and I appeared, the banquet hall was momentarily silent. The atmosphere quickly returned to normal, but the gazes that had gathered did not easily disperse.

It didn’t stop even when we moved to a suitable spot.

“Senior, you’re very popular, aren’t you?”

“What part of this looks like I’m popular.”

I answered nonchalantly.

-I can’t believe that person came to the banquet. What a surprise.

-He’s said to be the vice-chairman. And I heard he’s been active in the academy recently….

-Come to think of it, both Dekal and Veil are absent.

-Haha, that’s a shame.

Just listening to the conversation, you can tell they’re being careful, and even when I’m mentioned, they quickly move on to other topics.

It’s all to avoid upsetting me. Even if rumors of the changed delinquent have spread in social circles or other gatherings, that’s just hearsay. They’re being cautious because they don’t know what the truth is.

“And can you even compare? You’re being talked about even more than me.”

Even I have a hard time dealing with Chloe. How much more would others? Already, more than half of the conversation topics were about her.

“Well~ I don’t need the attention of those kinds of people.”

Chloe’s eyes held boredom. That gaze only shone when she looked at me.

I ignored Chloe’s state, whatever it was. Instead, I picked up a glass and took a sip, looking around the banquet hall.

As expected of a place where various classes of the empire gather, there are many famous figures to be seen.

For example, the seemingly shabby old man was the owner of the Golden Merchant Guild, and the wild-looking woman over there is a famous adventurer.

‘Evan’s enemy is here too.’

I could also see some figures who would be in an antagonistic relationship with the protagonist in the future.

Besides them, there were nobles gathered in factions, talking, and others actively engaging in exchanges, using this opportunity to their advantage. Of course, there were also people who were alone.

Still, as expected, Evan, the protagonist, was receiving attention from those three. People kept talking to him as he came this way.

His ability to reach the position of vice-chairman despite being born a commoner, his talent on par with Veil, and his cute appearance for a man (though I hate to describe him that way as a man) were enough to attract attention from both men and women.

Anyway, Evan arrived on our side with Lana.

“Hello, hyung-nim.”

“Hi, Kyle!”

“You came.”

The two greeted me first.

“Oh, Chloe, long time no see.”

“Hi, Evan~”

“Chloe, what about me!”

“Of course, I’m happy to see you too, unnie!”

They also greeted Chloe. And Lana hugged Chloe as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. I might not like it, but the two were still on good terms.

“But why do you look like that?”

“Oh, don’t even mention it….”

Evan sighed and whispered as he came closer.

“Everyone’s bothering me so much. There are even people who keep clinging even when I refuse…. I would have been in big trouble if it weren’t for Lana-sunbae.”

“Get used to it. It’ll be like that next year too.”

“Ugh, that’s a bit….”

Evan made a disgusted expression. If Evan, who likes to talk, is acting like that, he must have suffered a lot in a short time.

“Should I just purposely do badly on the exam? Ah, but I can’t give up this food….”

Evan said that as he put the prepared food in his mouth.

“Stop talking nonsense. More than that….”

I told Evan this and that. Roughly, it was information that would be good to know. There are many famous figures here, so building connections would be helpful later.

It was when I had finished talking about that.

─The Second Prince, Reian Tianis, is entering!!

An amplified voice echoed throughout the banquet hall. At that moment, everyone’s gaze turned to the entrance, and soon a loud laughter filled the banquet hall.

“Eheheh! I’m the number one at this banquet!”

A voice that didn’t convey the dignity of royalty. Despite being at an official event, the Second Prince was not careful about his actions and words.

“Oh! Who is this! Lady Irene!”

While the Second Prince was briefly distracted, I spoke.

“Evan, go somewhere else.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Without saying anything, Evan left.

“Sunbae, sunbae. What about me?”

“……You also go away for a bit.”

It was clear that if she was there, things would get bigger, so I sent her far away.

“Lana, you know what to do, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll stay close to you.”

Lana leaned close to my side. She frowned slightly, as if she could smell the Second Prince’s stench even from here. There was no way to help her with magic, so there was nothing I could do.

Reian Tianis didn’t come straight this way. Being a prince, he at least pretended to know the representative figures.

After finishing his business, he.

“Lana! You were here!”

Ignoring the greetings of others, he went straight here. And just as he was about to talk to Lana, I intervened.

“I greet the Prince.”

The Second Prince paused for a moment. No matter how much of a delinquent he was, he couldn’t ignore me, the eldest son of Arden. That was the relationship between the Imperial Family and Arden.

“Kyle Arden! I didn’t expect to meet you here. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“The honor is mine, Your Highness.”

“You always know how to make others happy. By the way, I’ve heard the recent rumors about you. As expected, Arden is Arden.”

“I’ve only made an effort.”

“The result of that effort is also thanks to you not giving up and working hard.”

The Second Prince, Reian Tianis, smiled with a friendly face. But that smile didn’t last long.

“More than that, won’t you join me? I have something to talk about with Lana.”

A suggestion given in a friendly tone. I wasn’t stupid enough not to understand the hidden meaning. It meant to hurry up and get lost if the greetings were over.

Of course, I didn’t back down.

“I apologize, but Lana’s condition is not good. I hope you will be considerate as she is currently ill.”

“If she’s sick, she should rest. I’ll tell the servant, so leave Lana to me and be on your way.”

As Lana said, the Second Prince was persistent.

“Kyle….”

A small voice that only I could hear. I could feel Lana trembling on my back.

If things continued like this, the Second Prince would surely linger around Lana. I needed a way to get rid of him somehow.

“Your Highness. I clearly said that Lana is ill.”

I threw away the affable tone and spoke in a low voice. He also sensed the changed atmosphere. But he was also a delinquent. He wasn’t the type to lower his tail and run away.

“That’s why I’m saying I’ll take care of her.”

“I’m saying that there’s no need for that right now.”

At that moment, the atmosphere turned grim. The air in the banquet hall sank low. Then the Second Prince, Reian Tianis, spoke with an incomprehensible expression.

“The you I know was famous for not taking care of others. What is Lana to you that you would go this far?”

“She’s someone I like. Is that enough?”

The banquet participants who were watching this situation looked with interest or gasped in surprise. I ignored such reactions and continued.

“Reian Tianis. I’ll say it one last time. Don’t come near Lana and get lost.”

Anyway, I’m a delinquent with a history of fighting with Ariel Tianis. My reputation is already at rock bottom. So, even if I insult royalty here, there’s no way it can get any worse.

Besides, the Imperial Family can never punish Arden for insulting royalty.

“Are you talking to me…!”

Just as the Second Prince, whose pride was hurt, was about to shout at me.

“Reian!”

A familiar voice was heard in my ear. The owner of that voice was the Fourth Princess, Ariel Tianis. She appeared before us, I don’t know when she arrived.

“Brother, when did you arrive?”

The Second Prince, who was about to unleash his anger, looked at the Fourth Princess with a smiling face and asked.

However, Ariel ignored his words. Instead, she answered with a voice filled with a thick layer of disgust, just like she had poured out on me at our first meeting.

“I clearly warned you. Don’t flirt with the students. No words, no attention, no gazes. Don’t do anything at the banquet.”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, brother. I’m just….”

“Reian Tianis!”

An opponent who was clearly above her in age and rank. But Ariel didn’t care about such things and was more angry than she had been with me.

“Don’t lie in front of me. It’s disgusting.”

Ariel glared fiercely at the Second Prince. Only then did Reian lower his tail.

“…It seems like today is not a good day, so I’ll be on my way.”

Just like his entrance, he quickly left the scene. And as he left, the princess let out a sigh towards the floor and then raised her head.

“Lana. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you, Princess.”

“Hoo, I should have come sooner. I was late preparing. I’m sorry.”

The princess apologized to Lana once again.

Still, thanks to her coming, things didn’t get any worse. If it had gone all the way, it could have turned into a fight.

“And you too….”

However, the princess couldn’t continue her words. Arden and the Imperial Family were in conflict, and on top of that, there was an argument between the Imperial Family members… Everyone in the banquet hall was only looking at this side.

“You should go back now. It seems like you came in a hurry.”

Judging from the appearance, the princess seemed to have rushed here without even greeting anyone.

“Okay. I’ll come back later….”

“I understand.”

I bowed deeply. Lana also waved her hand next to me.

“Goodbye, Princess~!”

“I’ll come again, Lana.”

The situation was resolved with the appearance of the Fourth Princess, and as she left, the gazes moved away a bit. And Lana said.

“Kyle, thank you….”

“It’s nothing. The princess did more than me.”

Lana shook her head.

“No. It’s thanks to Kyle blocking him before that. If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to hold out until the princess came.”

“I understand, so let’s move our seats first.”

Because of what I said earlier, people around were carefully observing this side. Like the princess, it was a bit burdensome.

I took Lana and moved to a secluded place on the upper floor. Evan and Chloe, who had been far away, followed after us.

“Hyung-nim! I saw your cool side!”

And that’s what he said when he came.

“Shut up.”

“Haha, I thought you were impotent at one time, but it wasn’t true. Hyung-nim is also a man after all… Ack!!”

As I slammed my fist down, he rolled on the floor. Chloe next to me was looking at me with a strange expression.

“Why are you looking at me with those eyes.”

“Hmm… I’m just curious?”

“…….”

After that, we stayed on the second floor and then came down to the banquet hall. In the process, we also saw other Imperial Family members, and the elderly Emperor also briefly showed his face and left.

Then, thinking that the other students could do the socializing to their heart’s content, I was spending time on the balcony. At that time, a servant came to me and carefully spoke.

“Reian Tianis-nim wants to see you.”

“Lead the way.”

If he called me to vent his anger, I wouldn’t avoid it.

Let’s see what kind of words he’ll spew.